Open letter from NGOs to trade ministers of developing countries in Doha
14. November 2001
Die in Doha anwesenden NGOs haben sich am 13.11.2001 in einem offenen Brief klar auf die Seite der Entwicklungsländer gestellt. Sie kritisieren die undurchsichtige Verhandlungsführung und den immensen Druck, der von grossen Handelsmächten auf die Länder des Südens ausgeübt wird. Im Einklang mit Entwicklungsländern fordern NGOs substantielle Änderungen am bestehenden Vertragswerk und den Verzicht auf eine neue Handelsrunde:
We the undersigned civil society groups, are encouraged by the firm stand taken by African trade ministers, LDC trade ministers and other developing country trade ministers, in particular India, in relation to the proposed "New Round" of WTO talks.
Civil society groups around the world support the positions taken by the Africa group, LMG, LDC group and others in resisting the inclusion of 'new issues', in particular Singapore issues, in the next round of negotiations. We also support the demand for concrete steps on implementation, which we believe will contribute to sustainable development and poverty eradication.We are very concerned about the non-transparent and exclusive process leading up to the Doha Ministerial and about the manner in which negotiations in Doha will be conducted. We urge developing country ministers to seek assurance from the Chair that they will be fully nvolved and consulted at all stages.We are aware of the immense pressure being exerted on your countries by the powerful trading nations and the threats relating to aid, debt relief and being branded the deal breakers responsible for furthering the global recession.We applaud your determination to ensure that trade rules benefit the world's poor and commit ourselves to doing whatever possible to influence governments to redress the deep inequalities in the trading system. If the talks fail, we believe that the political responsibility will lie with the industrialised countries that have repeatedly refused to accommodate your countries' concerns.Civil society groups share many of your concerns regarding the impact of trade rules on poverty and sustainable development. This letter is an expression of our support, and an assurance that we will continue to campaign vigorously to try to influence governments in support of your positions. Those of us present in Doha will be happy to discuss other means of forwarding our joint interests.
ActionAid Ireland
ActionAid UK
ActionAid USA
Action for Southern Africa
Action for Economic Reforms
Azione Aiuto
Berne Declaration
BONDCafod
Center for Human Rights and Environment Argentina
Christian Aid
CIDSE
Equations
Fairtrade Foundation
Friends of the Earth International
Focus on the Global South
Food First-Institute for Food and Development Policy, USA
Forum Syd
Gaia Foundation
GermanWatch
Greenpeace Brazil
Greenpeace France
Greenpeace International
IATP
International Federation for Alternative Trade
Manos Unidas
National Federation of Women's Institutes
Noor, Pakistan
Oxfam
Pressure Point, US
Quakers United Nations Office
Save the Children
SCIAF
Seatini
Solagral
Sustainable Development Policy Institute
Sungi Development Foundation
Traidcraft Exchange
Trocaire
TWINUCPA, Uganda VSO
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (UK)
World Development Movement
WWF
World Rural Forum-Asia, India