Comhlamh Public Debate: “What happened at the WTO in Hong Kong?”

international | anti-capitalism | event notice Wednesday January 25, 2006 22:10 by Barry Finnegan - personal cacpacity finnegan.barry at gmail dot com

Decisions Taken At The WTO Have Far-reaching Implications For The Livelihoods Of Farmers Worldwide.

"You are invited to a COMHLÁMH PUBLIC DEBATE:

“What happened at the WTO in Hong Kong?”

Decisions taken at the World Trade Organisation Ministerial meeting in December have far-reaching implications for the livelihoods of farmers worldwide.

VENUE: Trinity College, Dublin, Ui Chadhain Theatre (2021B), (ground floor of the Arts Block)

DATE: Thursday, February 2nd 2006, 8pm

Chairperson:
Pat Carey, Fianna Fáil TD, Dublin North West"

"Speakers:

Frank Doheny, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Frank is Assistant Principle in the Market Access Unit which is responsible for the identification, formulation
and development of Ireland's international trade policies and promotes Ireland’s
interests at European Union trade policy negotiations, and actively participates at
the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Pat O’ Rourke, Outgoing President of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).
The ICMSA represents the views of farmers at Local, National and European
Union levels. It places particular importance on defending the rights and incomes
of farm families and in sustaining and developing rural communities).

Conall O’ Caoimh, Campaigns and Policy Officer of Comhlámh. Conall represented Trade Matters at the Hong Kong talks, where he was an observer on the Government delegation.

(Fourth speaker - tbc)

Trade Ministers representing most of the world’s governments reached a deal on December 18th that sets a deadline for wiping out agricultural export subsidies by 2013. However, the final declaration does not settle the biggest trade issues facing the WTO’s members. Some of these issues were barely discussed because the sides are so far apart.

The speakers, all participants / observers at the talks in Hong Kong, will share their experience, debate the outcomes and explore the implications of agreements reached in the talks.
______________________________

Organised by the Comhlámh Trade Justice Group

The Comhlámh Trade Justice Group of volunteer members has been working for Trade Justice since 1998. The group focuses on raising awareness of how unfair trade rules prevent the poorest countries from finding their way out of poverty.

The Trade Justice Group welcomes new members who wish to join in learning more about and campaigning for trade justice.
Contact Conall O'Caoimh at [email protected] or
phone 01-478-3490.

The Trade Justice Group meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6.30pm at Comhlámh's Dublin office, and a similar group meets each Wednesday at the Cork office. "
================