WTO Ministerial Section • Volume 5 • Number 39 • 15th November 2001

NGOs Pursue New Avenues To Get Their Voice To The Table

As the World Forum on the WTO, hosted in Beirut, Lebanon, came to a close on 8 November, the hostile words coming from its final declaration did not bode well for the long-suffering relationship between the World Trade Organization (WTO) and civil society. In order to help overcome some of the difficulties in interacting with the organisation, many NGOs have adopted a more varied approach, ranging from the street protests seen at the 1999 Ministerial Conference in Seattle to research assistance to direct participation through national delegations. The overall strategy appears partially successful, at least with respect to the sensitive issue of the relationship between the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) and public health (see related story, this issue).

From Seattle to Doha

In order to repair the pervasive mistrust held by civil society towards the multilateral trading system after the "Battle in Seattle", many observers expected the WTO to engage with critical NGOs in a more transparent and constructive manner.

Two years later, the concluding phrase of the final declaration from the World Forum on the WTO left little room for optimism. It reads "[if] the WTO does not [change its mechanisms and content], then any meeting, wherever it may be, will become another Seattle." This sentence, along with other parts of the declaration, confirms the widely held impression that WTO relations with civil society have not become as amicable as some might claim.

Many NGOs note the WTO’s lagging track record for engaging with civil society, saying it contains little meaningful interaction and has thus exacerbated their mistrust and frustration towards the organisation. They go on to say that the choice of the venue for the Ministerial Conference, as well as the process of accreditation for NGOs, has confirmed for them that this has not changed post-Seattle.

While the Qatari government did not explicitly forbid protests to occur, the limiting of the number of visas given to representatives of civil society (see BRIDGES Weekly, 11 September, 200) did make any significant demonstration ‘physically’ impossible. One can only speculate on the impact of a virtual absence of ‘protesters’ in Qatar, however one newspaper, in comparing the two, commented "the contrast with the Seattle meeting, [where street protest contributed to the failure of the meeting], could hardly be greater".

Protest locally

Given the difficulty of voicing discontent directly in Doha, a number of NGOs called for an "International Day of Protest Against the WTO". Instead of focusing their efforts on the Ministerial venue itself, events in 30-40 countries were organised for 9 November (the opening day of the conference) and throughout the weekend. (A list and comprehensive report of the protests are available from the Independent Media Center website). Protests took place in cities such as Paris, Bangkok, Washington, Honk Kong, Tokyo, New Delhi, Toronto, New York, Geneva and numerous others; with numbers ranging from a few hundred to well over a 100,000.

Protest in Doha

Outside the opening ceremony of the Ministerial, approximately 100 activists stood carrying signs that read "NO Voice in the WTO". Many of them put tape over their mouths as a symbolic protest against what they called the "peoples absence from the negotiating rooms of the WTO". Due to the security precautions in place, protest organisers did not announce the action in advance. At a given signal, the placards were lifted into the air. "The Qatari authorities looked on in amazement, but did not react", said one activist.

The Greenpeace flagship, SV Rainbow Warrior, filled with 35 activists also came to Doha for the Conference. "We are taking our ship to Doha to bear witness and provide a platform for NGOs — including local people and indigenous communities from five continents — to speak to how trade affects them, their health, their livelihoods", said their National Campaigns Director, Andrea Durbin. In addition, they were broadcasting daily via their "No New Round Radio". They also received two visitors on 11 November - European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and Belgian Trade Minister Mme Annemie Netys-Uyttebroeck - who came to confirm Europe’s strong commitment on including environment at the WTO talks.

Finding another route to the negotiating table

While many developing country Members viewed most NGOs in Seattle wearily, suspecting them of promoting a western agenda, some groups are acting in Doha as unofficial government advisers. Duncan Green, of the Catholic aid agency CAFOD, said the turning point for the relationship between NGOs and developing countries happened as many NGOs started to intensely campaign to ensure that the TRIPs Agreement did not hinder access to essential medicines. "NGOs are offering to work very closely with developing countries to achieve their objectives. It’s how they intend to get into the negotiating room," said one former trade negotiator.

Also, due to their greater access to resources than many of the developing country Members, NGOs are often one of the few groups conducting research on areas of specific interest to these countries. For example, much of the research in the TRIPs-public health debate has been produced by NGOs, including Médecins sans Frontières, Oxfam and the Consumer Project on Technology. NGOs also have advanced public relations operations and a wealth of international contacts. However, some have criticised NGOs for encouraging developing countries to enter into unrealistic and intransigent negotiating positions. "Developing countries are getting wound up by NGOs," says one trade diplomat. "They’re telling poor countries, wrongly, that there’s nothing in the negotiations for them."

Many western governments also involve certain NGOs in their official delegations. The US has long brough business lobbyists to trade negotiations, and the UK’s delegation includes Digby Jones, Director- General of the Confederation of British Industry, a trade union official and an Oxfam representative. While they do not take part in ministerial negotiations, they are in a better position to influence negotiating strategy.

"Trade unions and NGOs hold demo as WTO opens in Doha" ICFTU OnLine, 12 November 2001; "Global activists adopt new tactics: Switch to behind- the-scenes influence", FT, 12 November 2001; Trade ministers visit the Rainbow", GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE, 11 November 2001. ICTSD Internal Files.