Poor Nations Condemn World Trade Organization Agreements as Unfair

Interview with Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute, conducted by Scott Harris

Three years ago, the World Trade Organization ministerial summit meeting in Cancun, Mexico collapsed over disagreements between industrial and developing nations regarding the issue of agricultural and other subsidies, payments which critics blame for hurting poor farmers. At the recently concluded WTO summit in Hong Kong, many of these same disagreements were debated and an eleventh hour accord was reached where the U.S. and European Union agreed to cut export subsidies to their farmers by 2013. Developing nations had fought hard for 2010 as the deadline to scrap subsidies, but lost.

Throughout the six-day summit meeting, thousands of protesters opposed to the WTO agenda staged demonstrations. As was the case in Cancun, hundreds of Korean farmers traveled to Hong Kong to express their opposition to free trade policies that they say threatens their livelihood. Many of these same farmers were among 900 who were arrested as they pushed their way into the hall where the WTO was meeting.

Many non-governmental organizations from around the globe denounced the Hong Kong agreement, accusing wealthy nations of betraying their promise to reform trade rules to promote development. Critics also warned that proposals to open up non-agricultural markets and service industries in poor nations to international competition would undermine development. Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Anuradha Mittal, executive director of the Oakland Institute. She was at the Hong Kong summit and explains why her group and many others oppose the WTO agreements.

Contact the Oakland Institute by calling (510) 469-5228 or visit their website at www.oaklandinstitute.org

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