You are visiting
www.rawfoodinfo.com

 

Public Citizen
October/November 2003
Vol. 4, No. 5

The Failure of Cancún
by Gerard Vuffray
European Confederation of Farmers, Switzerland

The failure of the world Trade Organization's Ministerial in Cancún in September, which focused heavily on agriculture issues, is a huge relief for people around the world.

Because no agreement was reached, there is time to keep working for other approaches to international trade relations. There is strong resistance in new fields of negotiations - investments, competition, trade facilitation and transparency in public procurements.

Hopefully, many governments realized that the U.S. and EU can be derailed in their efforts to dominate the political agenda of the 148-nation WTO.

The collapse of the Ministerial is good news for farmers and their families all over the world. But it is not enough. The toll of the first Agreement on Agriculture is already too great. It is essential to renew the demand for a worldwide assessment of the agreement and its impacts on billions of people who depend on farming. It would be misguided to use stronger doses of the current medication already destroying family farming.

The delay offered by the Cancún failure should be used to promote alternatives to the global economic war that is the basis of WTO trade rules. Farmers and citizens all over the world have common values and common interests. There is time to reinforce ties and alliances, and to fight for the right of communities, regions and counties to define their own policies and priorities.

Food sovereignty is a high priority in the global North and South alike. Because the WTO is not willing to take into account essential food sovereignty principles, the WTO must be taken out of the equation.

The other challenge is to put the WTO in its proper place by integrating it into the network of United Nations specialized institutions, a long-overdue reform.

FAIR USE NOTICE

Back to Articles/Globalization

Top of the Page

Rhio' raw energy website - extensive information on the raw and living food lifestyle Home raw and living foods events: vegetarian and organic foods preparation classes New to Raw? raw and living foods events: vegetarian and organic foods preparation classes Hotline genetically engineered foods, food Irradiation, organic foods, environmental pollution Action Forum raw and living foods: gourmet uncooked vegan and vegetarian food recipes Rhio's Book raw and living foods: gourmet uncooked vegan and vegetarian food recipes Shopping raw and living foods recipes: gourmet uncooked vegetarian and vegan cuisine Recipes
raw and living food, people and events worldwide Pictures Information about live and raw foods, vegan, vegatarian and organic foods by listening to talks and lectures via audio files Multi/Media
raw and living foods events: vegetarian and organic foods preparation classes Events raw and living foods events: vegetarian and organic foods preparation classes Press/Media