NEWS RELEASE
December 15, 2011
GENEVA – The activist farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines – KMP) at the opening of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland today assailed as “undemocratic” the draft “political guidance” text issued by the multi-lateral trade body earlier this month.
The Philippine-based farmers group issued the statement after WTO General Council Chair, Ambassador Yonov Frederick Agah, on December 1, forwarded the document “Elements for Political Guidance” to the Chair of the Eighth Ministerial Conference, Trade and Investment Minister Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga of Nigeria, for inclusion as the consensus part of his statement.
“The draft ‘political guidance’ text highlights the undemocratic character of the WTO. Obviously, the document itself did not have the benefit of negotiations and is being forced on poor countries to accept,” the KMP said.
The KMP also said that “the document merely reaffirmed the WTO and developed countries insistence to cling to the same rotten and bankrupt ‘development’ paradigm of so-called ‘free market’ globalization. This so-called ‘development’ model has only led to a more serious global economic and financial crisis.”
“Interestingly,” the farmers group said, “the document admits the weaknesses of the WTO and those who drafted the text are one in saying that “Ministers deeply regret that, despite full engagement and intensified efforts to conclude the Doha Development Agenda single undertaking since the last Ministerial Conference, the negotiations are at an impasse.”
“After a decade and five (5) ministerial conferences, the WTO failed to conclude the Doha Round, much more to come up with any solution to the global economic and financial crisis,” the KMP said adding, “this failure is a result of and underscores the intensifying contradictions between the monopoly capitalist countries themselves, between the monopoly capitalist countries and countries asserting national independence and sovereignty, between the monopoly capitalist powers and the oppressed peoples and nations, and between the monopoly bourgeoisie and the toiling masses of people.”
“The WTO is further weakened by the economic and financial crisis suffered by imperialist countries headed by the United States that dominate and steer the WTO. Imperialist countries are scrambling for the redivision of the world for cheap sources of labor, raw materials, for markets, fields of investments and spheres of influence,” the KMP noted.
On the much-hyped issue of accession, the KMP also said that “Russia’s accession to the WTO cannot be touted as sign of strength. Instead, Russia’s membership will only further narrow the already contracted global market.” #
Jim Fernando
KMP Campaign Officer