Inside U.S. trade - Finance Fails To Vote On USTR Punke, Siddiqui Nominations

25 November, 2009
The Senate Finance Committee did not vote on the nominations of Michael Punke to be Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and Islam Siddiqui to be chief agriculture negotiator at USTR on Saturday, November 21.

Change Trade, Not our Climate

One way or another change is on the way: if we don’t change the rules of the global economy we won’t be able to limit climate change.

Change Trade, Not our Climate!

6 October, 2009
One way or another change is on the way: if we don’t change the rules of the global economy we won’t be able to limit climate change.

"Mini-Ministerial Meeting Should Change WTO Tack on Food"

3 September, 2009
A group of 125 non-governmental organisations from 50 countries is calling on the governments participating in the mini-ministerial trade talks in India over the next two days to reject the further liberalisation of food and rather promote policies that will achieve food security and rural development and safeguard farmers’ livelihoods. The organisations, of which 13 are in Africa, argue in a letter to the 36 countries attending the mini-ministerial meeting that the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) policies have resulted in "a failed global agricultural system including extremely volatile commodities markets, a lack of global access to nutritious and affordable food, an increase in hunger, and the erosion of farmers’ incomes.

India Betrays Farmers and Workers by Endorsing WTO December Texts; Mini-Ministerial Results in More US Demands

4 September, 2009
The much hyped Delhi mini-ministerial ended today with most developing country delegates saying that it was business as usual with negotiations going back to Geneva and Chairs of the Negotiating Committees of the Doha Round. However, Indian Commerce Minister Sharma summarized the meeting by saying that both the G20 and the G33, "were of the view that the texts of December 2008 must form the basis of future work."

Global Turn Around!

1 April, 2010
2 April, 2010
A call to unite and confront the converging global crises of our times, replace the trade and investment pacts and related juggernauts of the corporate-driven global economy, and start building a sustainable economic future together.

Pacific Conference of Churches launches PANG report on Australian and NZ ‘power politics’ to launch PACER-Plus negotiations

29 August, 2009

General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, Fei Tevi, formally launched a new report from the Pacific Network on Globalisation on July 30.  The report (Speaking Truth to Power: Australian and New Zealand power plays to launch Pacific free trade negotiations) exposes the often secret world of regional trade discussions - where meetings between Pacific government officials and their Australian and New Zealand counterparts are held 'behind closed doors'. 

Rising tide of trade to sink Pacific

Despite the interest in the lead up to the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Cairns, the decision to commence trade negotiations barely made a mention in the news in the wake of the meeting.

UN: North's bailouts destroyed trading system's playing field, says Stiglitz

29 June, 2009

New York, 26 Jun (Bhumika Muchhala) -- The bailouts given to companies in developed countries have destroyed the framework of the multilateral trading system for a level playing field, according to the Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.

 

Speaking at the UN conference on the global financial and economic crisis, Stiglitz said that the massive bailouts and stimulus programmes of the rich countries have "destroyed the framework for an international and multilateral global playing field for trade."