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13 December, 2005"Aid for trade" must not be a service in return for concessions by developing countries that could slow down their development efforts, warned the trade union movement yesterday, December 12, in Hong Kong.
HONG KONG: "Aid for trade" must not be a quid-pro-quo for far-reaching concessions by developing countries that could hamper their development efforts for the foreseeable future, warned the international trade union movement yesterday, December 12, following its last internal strategy meeting prior to the opening of the WTO Ministerial Conference.
"Trade-related development assistance is certainly desirable," commented Guy Ryder, general secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), "but it must not become a pretext for arm-twisting by industrialised countries pretending that it obliges developing countries to mortgage their future industrial development and public services in exchange."
Unions called for developing countries' legitimate demands to be adopted at this WTO Ministerial, through decisions such as the setting of an early end-date to the dumping of agricultural products through export subsidies and other export support, which has had a disastrous impact on the billions of farm workers who constitute the majority in developing countries.
The union meeting strongly backed a proposal from Argentina, Brazil and South Africa that countries be allowed to change their WTO liberalisation commitments if serious job losses and social disruption were the result.
The International Metalworkers' Federation is joining the ICFTU, other global unions and social movements at the WTO meeting, to demand that effects on development and employment are assessed before trade rules are changed. IMF director of international relations Carla Coletti, Numsa general secretary Silumko Nondwangu and CNM/CUT general secretary Fernando Lopes are in Hong Kong, participating in trade union and civil society activities associated with the WTO meeting.
The ICFTU is posting regular reports, press releases and daily blogs on what is taking place at www.workersvoiceatwto.org.
"Trade-related development assistance is certainly desirable," commented Guy Ryder, general secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), "but it must not become a pretext for arm-twisting by industrialised countries pretending that it obliges developing countries to mortgage their future industrial development and public services in exchange."
Unions called for developing countries' legitimate demands to be adopted at this WTO Ministerial, through decisions such as the setting of an early end-date to the dumping of agricultural products through export subsidies and other export support, which has had a disastrous impact on the billions of farm workers who constitute the majority in developing countries.
The union meeting strongly backed a proposal from Argentina, Brazil and South Africa that countries be allowed to change their WTO liberalisation commitments if serious job losses and social disruption were the result.
The International Metalworkers' Federation is joining the ICFTU, other global unions and social movements at the WTO meeting, to demand that effects on development and employment are assessed before trade rules are changed. IMF director of international relations Carla Coletti, Numsa general secretary Silumko Nondwangu and CNM/CUT general secretary Fernando Lopes are in Hong Kong, participating in trade union and civil society activities associated with the WTO meeting.
The ICFTU is posting regular reports, press releases and daily blogs on what is taking place at www.workersvoiceatwto.org.