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World Trade Organization

NGOs Demand Fair Trade at WTO Ministerial Conference

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

NGO representatives from around the world have arrived in Hong Kong to protest against the current state of global trade, with some demanding an end to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) altogether. The protests, which include marches, demonstrations, and a petition with 17.8 million signatures, are calling for fair trade and an end to what they see as unfair trade barriers that harm poor countries. Despite their differences, many of the protesters have shifted their focus from rejecting globalisation to demanding more equitable trade practices.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 1,000 NGOs have been granted permission to attend the WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong, including the Alberta Egg Producers Board, the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, Friends of the Earth, and the US Semiconductor Industry Association.
  • NGOs represent diverse and often contradictory points of view, with some opposing globalisation and free trade, while others advocate for fair trade and more consideration for poor countries.
  • The protests include demands to abolish the WTO, liberalise industry and services in a fair and regulated manner, and allow poor countries to choose their own policies at their own pace.
  • Many NGOs have softened their stance on trade, with some like Focus on the Global South acknowledging the benefits of international commerce while pushing for fairer trade practices.
  • The Doha round of world trade negotiations is billed as the "development" round, but NGOs fear that developing countries will give in to pressure from rich nations to liberalise industry and services without receiving enough concessions on agricultural trade.

Statistics:

  • 1,000 NGOs have been granted permission to attend the WTO ministerial conference in Hong Kong.
  • 17.8 million signatures were collected by Oxfam for a petition demanding the removal of trade barriers that hurt poor countries.
  • 40% of the WTO membership is represented by Commonwealth trade ministers, who make up more than a fifth of world trade.
  • 9,000 protesters may participate in a protest in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour today.

Sources:

  • The Financial Times (FT)
  • The World Trade Organisation (WTO)
  • Oxfam
  • Focus on the Global South
  • ActionAid
  • Alberta Egg Producers Board
  • The Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions
  • Friends of the Earth
  • The US Semiconductor Industry Association

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