Sir, - Congratulations on the recent Irish Times/Harvard Colloquium (Irish Times, March 11th) for highlighting some of Africa's development problems. Both Peter Sutherland and President Mugabe touched upon major obstacles to development within the continent, such as large debt burdens, unfavourable terms of trade, conflict, etc. It is on the point of trade, and in particular Peter Sutherland's viewpoints, that we wish to comment.
As Mr Sutherland rightly points out, there appears to be a consensus among developing nations as to the need to liberalise trade and to sign up to the aims of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - with greater access to industrialised markets having tangible benefits. This may be so, yet the dangers of this position seem to have been glossed over, and could have benefited from a more considerable airing.
There are major social and environmental problems associated with the WTO's view of the future. Indeed, it needs to be firmly stated that there is no global consensus as to the benefits of liberalised trade. Many NGOs in developing and industrialised countries have voiced strong opposition to many proposals from the WTO for greater economic liberalisation, which are more about ensuring the future economic success of large corporations than they are about promoting equity and justice.
The WTO - in particular, its Committee on Trade and the Environment - has come in for fierce criticism recently from NGOs, over its relative lack of progress. Indeed, it would be helpful if Mr Sutherland could address straightforwardly the shortcomings of the WTO, of which it has many.
Earthwatch's trade and environment campaign supports Mr Sutherland's statement that market forces alone are insufficient to, solve the problems of poverty and, inequality. However, "market forces" as unleashed by trade agreements often caused environmental destruction and social disruption of this there is no doubt. The agenda promoted by the WTO may iron out some inequalities in the present trading system; however, the WTO by and large serves not small business, family farms or the preservation of tropical rainforests, but rather corporation interests - through the removal of environmental and social regulations.
Perversely, the WTO has also failed to protect multilateral environmental agreements (such as the Montreal Protocol and CITES) from the possibility of challenge in the WTO. Interestingly the WTO Committee on Trade and the Environment will not permit NGOs to attend its meetings. Thus, an undemocratic WTO continues to undermine sustainable development.
The current trade regime has major flaws, and hopefully Mr Sutherland in his new position within the Overseas Development Council will seek honestly to expose many myths currently held by a large number of the world's governments, including our own. - Yours, etc.,
Earthwatch,
Bantry,
Co Cork.