Politicians and civil society push for changes to WTO negotiations

Politicians and civil society groups have called for radical changes in the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) negotiations even as officials maintain that a ministerial conference to be held in Nairobi will give the world a binding trade pact.

Sharp differences have emerged about the new text on agriculture and technology ahead of the Nairobi event, the first time the WTO holds its summit in sub-Saharan Africa.

The US and the European Union are pushing for the scrapping of state subsidies aimed at boosting food security. The developing states are also opposed to on-going negotiations to cut tariffs on IT and environmental goods, saying it will have a negative impact on workers and consumers.

As for agriculture, the EU-US axis is pushing for a return to the original position adopted by the ministerial conference in Doha 14 years ago which scrapped agricultural trade subsidy and capped state support to agriculture to their 1994 level.

Developing nation delegates attending the WTO Open Forum ahead of the Nairobi Conference read mischief in that proposal.

“We want to be allowed to continue levying countervailing import taxes commodities without being accused of protectionism,” said Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe.

The WTO has lately been organising public forums to boost public participation before world trade ministers gather to make key decisions.

“There is no way African states can endorse trade agreement that expose their farmers – who borrow at high interest rates to produce – to competition with farmers who do not borrow but still enjoy state subsidies,” said Evelyne Nguleka, President of World Farmers Organisation, a lobby for farmers.