What are we going to do at the WTO-conference in Nairobi?
Nairobi, Kenya's capital city, will be the epicenter of international trade from 15 to 18 December 2015. The representatives of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which currently has 162 member countries, will come together to negotiate. The different countries tend to have very different and often conflicting interests, which makes it difficult to reach agreements. Burghard Ilge of Both ENDS travels with Minister Ploumen as an official adviser and mediator from civil society. His role is to inform the Minister about the views and interests of civil society organisations around the world, in order for her to take these positions into consideration during the negotiations. We asked Ilge some clarifying questions.
What will happen in Nairobi and what exactly will you be doing there?
"Every two years, the legislative body of the WTO gathers during the so-called Ministerial Conference. This will already be the tenth time this occurs, and Both ENDS is part of the official delegation of the Dutch government that will be present. I'm going to try to play a positive role as an expert, but also as a mediator between policymakers and civil society in developing countries. I will inform the Dutch minister of the views and interests of civil society organisations we are in contact with globally. Of course, I will not only be with with the official delegation in Nairobi, but also spend much time with the NGOs present at the conference. This way, I will be able to voice their concerns and requests directly to the delegation.
What are the key issues for Both ENDS?
"Agricultural policy is certainly one of the main items on the agenda at the conference in Nairobi. It seems increasingly likely that national food security programs in developing countries under WTO rules will be banned. Although the rich countries had promised to work towards a permanent solution for this problem, which is topical in India for example, it now appears that they will not live up to this promise. Especially the USA is makes trouble over this, and moreover the US threatens to even withdraw earlier promises about reducing its own agricultural subsidies.The decisions that will be taken in Nairobi will particularly affect small farmers and producers in developing countries and until now, I must say the expectations are not positive for them."
What do you expect from the Conference? Do you think there will be an agreement reached?
"This conference could prove to be crucial. If the US and other rich countries do not dramatically change their attitude and increase their efforts, they could very well be digging the grave of the very institution they created themselves. Then, opponents who have been advocating for the 'abolition of the WTO' ever since the beginning of the Doha Round, might get their way. If this would be good or bad? Opinions about this differ widely."
For more information
Read more about this subject
-
Dossier
Trade agreements
International trade agreements often have far-reaching consequences not only for the economy of a country, but also for people and the environment. It is primarily the most vulnerable groups who suffer most from these agreements.
-
Publication / 7 November 2018
-
Publication / 12 November 2020
-
Dossier
Investment treaties
Investment treaties must be inclusive, sustainable and fair. That means that they must not put the interests of companies before those of people and their living environment.
-
Blog / 14 April 2020
Stop WTO talks until everyone can take full part in them again
By Burghard Ilge and Daniëlle HirschThe World Trade Organization (WTO) is often seen as an institution in crisis, powerless and no longer relevant, and especially after US president Donald Trump decided in 2019 to pull the plug on one of the WTO’s most important bodies (the one dealing with trade disputes). Now, more than 150 civil society organisations, networks and interest groups from around the world have signed an urgent letter to WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo, because they are seriously concerned about the state of affairs within the organization.
-
Publication / 21 September 2015
-
Blog / 16 February 2021
The Netherlands can contribute much to making agriculture sustainable – nationally and internationally
If the Netherlands wants to make its agriculture and livestock industry sustainable and to ensure that farmers get a fair price for their products, it will also have to look beyond its own borders. The Netherlands is the world's second largest exporter of agricultural products. We have a great impact because, through our trade relations, we uphold a system of intensive agriculture that destroys ecosystems and undermines local production. Partly due to our trade in agricultural products, the Dutch economy is has a large, and growing, footprint. That should and can be different: the Netherlands is in a good position to lead the required transition in agriculture. Fortunately, the party manifestos for the coming elections offer sufficient opportunities to set that in motion. A new coalition can thus take decisive new steps.
-
Publication / 10 March 2016
-
News / 10 February 2020
Open letter to the Dutch government: a global call to vote against CETA for trade justice
Over 70 organisations worldwide have signed an open letter to call upon the Dutch government to vote against CETA - the 'Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement'between Canada and the EU this week. They have serious concerns about the negative global social and environmental impacts of the CETA trade deal and similar upcoming European Union's trade agreements.
-
News / 14 September 2017
What to think of the EU’s Multilateral Investment Court
Remember the widespread protests against trade agreements TTIP and CETA? One of the main worries was the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism these treaties contain. Now the European Commission has proposed to set up a Multilateral Investment Court. Is that good news?
-
News / 14 October 2016
5 alternative arguments against TTIP
Both ENDS will join the protest against trade treaties TTIP, CETA and TiSA on Saturday October 22nd in Amsterdam. These treaties will have negative impacts, not only in the Netherlands and Europe, but also - and maybe even more so - in developing countries.
-
Press release / 29 June 2020
Press release – Call by 265 organisations to the EU: “Do not sign the EU-Mercosur trade agreement”
Germany must use its influence as president of the EU in the second half of this year to ensure that the controversial EU-Mercosur free trade agreement is not signed. This is the message in a letter presented to German chancellor Angela Merkel today by 265 civil society and environmental organisations from the EU and Mercosur countries. The deal between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay will stimulate destruction of the natural environment and the violation of human rights in vulnerable areas in South America. The agreement will also give European farmers an unfair competitive advantage. Dutch signatories to the letter include Greenpeace and Both ENDS and various organisations united in the Handel Anders! coalition.
-
News / 18 June 2019
Open letter from more than 340 organisations: EU must stop negotiating treaty with South American countries.
Today, more than 340 organisations from both South America and Europe, including Both ENDS, have sent a joint open letter to European Union leaders calling for the EU to cease negotiations on the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement. The organisations and their constituencies are seriously concerned about increasing violations of indigenous human rights and damage to nature and the environment in Brazil.
-
Publication / 4 April 2019
-
Blog / 28 September 2018
Why Tanzania should send the Dutch government a letter in the next two days.
By Burghard Ilge and Sander HehanussaIn 2001 Tanzania and the Netherlands signed a treaty only known to a few; a so-called Bilateral Investment Treaty aimed "to extend and intensify the economic relations between them and to stimulate the flow of capital and technology and the economic development of the Contracting Parties". But signing the treaty was in fact mainly a symbolic act which since then has had little if any effect in this respect. In fact, a report by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis found that BITs have no positive effect on investment in low and lower middle income countries located in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania.
-
News / 19 June 2018
NGO's send letter to Minister Kaag to call for termination of BIT with Burkina Faso
Today, Both ENDS sent a letter, signed by various civil society organisations, to Sigrid Kaag (Dutch Minister of Aid & Trade) reminding her of an important deadline and to urge her to terminate the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) that exists between the Netherlands and Burkina Faso. The treaty, which can be very harmful for a poor country such as Burkina Faso, will automatically be renewed for the next 15 years if it is not terminated before July 1st this year.
-
Event / 20 June 2017
Eurodad-conference ‘Alternative policies for a sustainable world’
Eurodad's International Conference is co-hosted by Eurodad's Dutch members ActionAid Netherlands, Both ENDS, OIKOS, Oxfam Novib and SOMO. It will be held in the Caballero Fabriek in The Hague.
-
News / 26 January 2017
No lessons learnt from TTIP and CETA in current trade negotiations EU - Indonesia
From 24-28 January 2017, the second round of negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) takes place between the EU and Indonesia. The proposed agreement covers far-reaching liberalisation and deregulation that can have severe impacts on society, people and the environment. Civil society organisations, including Both ENDS, released a statement to express their concern and call upon the negotiators to halt the process and fully assess the potential environmental and social impacts of the agreement.
-
Publication / 19 September 2016
-
News / 26 June 2020
630 civil society groups sound alarm over wave of Covid-19 claims in 'corporate courts'
Countries could be facing a wave of cases from transnational corporations suing governments over actions taken to respond to the Covid pandemic using a system known as investor-state dispute settlement, or ISDS. Cases could arise from actions that many governments have taken to save lives, stem the pandemic, protect jobs, counter economic disaster and ensure peoples' basic needs are met. Threats of cases have already been made in Peru over the suspension of charging on toll roads, and law firms are actively advising corporations of the options open to them. 630 organisations from across the world, representing hundreds of millions of people, are calling on governments in an open letter to urgently take action to shut down this threat. The letter below is published today.