NEWS FROM AEFJN

Britain is the world’s biggest arms exporter Times, 18/06/2008

Britain was the world’s biggest arms seller last year, accounting for a third of global arms exports, the Government’s trade promotion organisation said. UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) said that arms exporters had added £9.7 billion in new business last year, giving them a larger share of global arms exports than the United States. « As demonstrated by this outstanding export performance, the UK has a first-class defence industry, with some of the world’s most technologically sophisticated companies. » Digby Jones, the Minister for Trade and Inestement said. UKTI said that the figures were boosted by orders from Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest arms buyer, which has imported $ 31 billion in weapons over the past five years. There are also orders from Oman and Trinidad and Tobago for offshore patrol vessels. The US is still the world’s biggest exporter over the past five years, with $63 billion in total arms exports. Britain was second with $53 billion and Russia third with $33 billion.

Powerful new tool to diagnose drug-resistant TB http://tinyurl.com/6p3jdw
Clinical trials of a new molecular technique have found it to be effective at quickly identifying multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in resource-poor settings. As a result, the WHO has endorsed the use of the test in all countries with MDR-TB.

African continent faces ‘dramatic’ physician shortage
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27252
The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Africa faces a “dramatic” shortage of physicians by the year 2015, according to a new study that has just been made public. It is projected that there will be nearly 13 million doctors by then, a figure that will meet demand and will exceed the target of achieving the benchmark of having 80 per cent of all live births covered by a skilled attendant. But given the imbalances in physician distribution, Africa will face a scarcity of care, WHO said, with 255,000 doctors in 2015, which is 167,000 fewer than needed to meet the birth coverage goal. The study notes that in 2004, Africa carried nearly one quarter of the world’s disease burden with only 2 per cent of global physician supply and less than 1 per cent of health expenditures worldwide. Similarly, South-East Asia bore 29 per cent of the global disease burden, with 11 per cent of the world’s supply of doctors and 1 per cent of health expenditures. Meanwhile, the American region, with 10 per cent of the world’s disease burden, accounted for half of the world’s health expenditures and one fifth of all physicians. Hefty increases in health-care investment and robust policies are essential to boost the number of doctors in Africa, WHO said. “Given the disproportionate burden of disease in this region, policies for increasing the supply of physicians are urgently needed to stem projected shortages,” according to the study.

The Taubira Report on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
Christiane Taubira, a left-wing French MP representing Guyana, was invited by Nicolas Sarkozy to produce a report to help the French Presidency of the EU formulate its stance on the EPAs that are being negotiated between the European Union (EU) and the Africa/Caribbean/Pacific (ACP) countries. Sarkozy asked her to clarify the European Commission’s intentions towards the ACP countries with these aims in mind: to restore a relationship of confidence; to enable all countries affected by the opening of the market to take full advantage of it; and to create a dynamic that favours development by promoting regional integration.

The MP gathered the opinions of more than 150 people, ministers, diplomats, negotiators, experts, social scientists and NGOs. She had two working sessions with each of the two European Commissioners responsible for EPA negotiations, Peter Mandelson and Louis Michel. She visited countries that are affected by the agreements to talk with specialists on food and development. In her report she sketches out ideas for resolving the problem areas of the current EPAs.

The report emphasises the need for a thorough review of the aim of the EPAs as well as of the mandate entrusted to the European Commission (EC) concerning its trade negotiations with the ACP countries. It comes out in favour of a revision of the EC’s method of working and suggests that the intention to finalise EPAs in October 2009 be reviewed. It proposes a re-think of the extent of the opening of the market for ACP states, the cornerstone of negotiations and major source of discontent among the ACP countries. The Economic Partnership Agreement envisages an almost total opening of the market – 100% for the European market and 80% for ACP countries – to bring competition into play. By bringing down most customs barriers, the African market risks being flooded with cheaper, better quality European goods. The compensation proposed by the EU will not make up for this, especially as customs duty is an important part of ACP income. The report also calls for greater transparency in the negotiation process and calls for European aid to be dissociated from trade negotiations.

In her report, the Guyana MP even tends towards a return to agreements without reciprocity, because, with the North and the South being at different stages of development, the same liberal rules cannot be applied to both sides. Madame Taubira places sustainable development at the heart of the EPAs. She suggests a cancellation of foreign debt for African states and devotes the first chapter to ways of putting an end to the food crisis and avoiding hunger riots. Her proposals aim to protect the right to food, to promote the development of ACP countries (instead of serving Europe’s trade interests) and to establish a genuine relationship of partnership between the EU and the 76 ACP countries, most of which feature among the poorest in the world. Taubira comes back to criticisms made by the NGOs and sides with those who wish to protect human values. AEFJN and other NGOs are delighted with the conclusions and recommendation in this report; they are in line with the messages that civil society in Africa and Europe has been sending since the beginning of negotiations. Her recommendations would represent a political about-turn for the EU and this is of great importance to those seeking partnership agreements ‘for development’.

This report was submitted to the Elysée Palace on June 15^th. It has still not received the presidential green light for publication and so far no reaction to it has been expressed. Apparently the French government asked her to reconsider her views – but so far in vain. Christiane Taubira reaffirms that, in her opinion, the report should be published. Oxfam France Action is inviting Nicolas Sarkozy to bring these recommendations to the attention of the other member states of the Council of the European Union so that the EPAs may be real tools for development. The cause of the upset in this report is probably its critical tone. It pulls no punches in criticising an economic policy which, in the opinion of the author, has kept African countries in a state of dependence on the European market. Bearing in mind the fragility of the countries, reviving the EPAs without changing the format would be dangerous. She believes that such agreements would make very little difference to Europe but risk damaging whole sectors of the economies of ACP countries. The French presidency of the EU is supposed to be the beginning of a dynamic revival – and Taubira’s report was to prepare the ground. By not responding to the report, Nicolas Sarkozy is indicating that the European reaction will not be in favour of the report’s recommendations. The strategic economic relationship between Africa and Europe is at stake.
For the full report write to: begoinarra@aefjn.org

Call to Action to Stop the WTO Doha Round July 6, 2008
Ministers from dozens of countries, including the U.S., EU, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Philippines, South Africa, Kenya and Egypt, will meet in Geneva on July 21 to attempt to push through the conclusion of the WTO’s Doha Round. After years of negotiations, failed Ministerials, and re-starts, this is their “last chance” before President Bush leaves office. The Ministers are seeking to conclude this faltering round while pushing aside key global priorities like the food crisis, fuel prices, global warming, global poverty and debt.
If concluded, the expansion of the WTO will benefit large corporations – but will have profoundly negative impacts on workers, farmers, women, consumers, and the environment. Falsely labelled a “Development Round” the real consequences would be:

· Job loss, de-industrialization, and the foreclosing of development space for decades to come. Rich countries are demanding that developing countries provide “new market access,” meaning slashing protective tariffs on manufactured goods and natural resources.
· Farmers’ livelihoods, food security, and rural development would come under even greater pressure. The United States and Europe continue to subsidize their agribusiness exporters, while at the same time fighting against key protections for millions of farmers in developing countries. This is outrageous in the face of a global food crisis.
· Increased privatization and deregulation of services, including in key sectors such as finance and energy. Recent instability in global markets demonstrates the need for increased intervention in and oversight of global financial and other markets, not more deregulation.
· Global efforts to tackle climate change may be curtailed by the WTO expansion.
· The poorest countries will be the biggest losers. Economic projections of a potential Doha deal, by several think tanks and even the World Bank, show that the costs of lost jobs, reduced policy space, and lost tariff revenues far outweigh supposed “benefits” of the so-called “Development” Round.

We cannot risk allowing the Doha Round to conclude. Social movements and civil society organizations across the world must unite to oppose the corporate agenda of the WTO Doha Round. We call on all people to:

1. Organize national public pressure (media, mobilizations, campaigns) as your Trade Minister leaves for Geneva and from July 19-21, to ensure that your government acts in the interests of the people, not corporations or foreign governments. Basic Talking Points and a list of Call to Action Resources should be included in the attachments to this Call to Action; if they are not, please contact Verda Cook at verda.cook@gmail.com.
2. Demand a meeting with your Trade Minister to express your opposition to the Doha Round, demanding that they do NOT agree to a Doha conclusion – and let your government know that you are monitoring their activities in Geneva.
3. Contact the media and tell them about the negative impacts on the economy, workers, farmers, consumers, fisher folk, women, climate change, and the environment of the WTO.
4. Send a national letter, endorsed by a wide variety of social movements, to your national government (OWINFS will be circulating a sample letter which can be adjusted to your national context soon.)
5. Come to Geneva to lobby your Minister during the Ministerial Conference, 19-25 July, and tell the media in Geneva what you think about the Doha Round. Please contact Deborah James at djames@cepr.net if you are planning on travelling to Geneva.
Deborah James
Director of International Programs
Center for Economic and Policy Research
1611 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20009
202 293 5380 x111
202 588 1356 fax
www.cepr.net

STOP EPAs Day, 27 September
Since 2004 every 27 September, the anniversary of the launch of the EPA negotiations is “Stop EPAs Day. This year 2008 EPA actions remain as necessary as ever as the EU is still pushing to make ACP countries accept their trade liberalisation recipe. All ACP regions have accepted to continue to negotiate, but it is not to be taken for granted that they are willing to accept the EU EPA package. European civil society must continue to denounce the EU approaches and continue to create space for alternatives.

Since the CARIFORUM EPA will be signed on 23 July and the interim EPAs may follow after summer, the European Parliament will be invited to give its assent (to ratify). Therefore we decided to focus on the European Parliament and its Members (MEPs). European organisations campaigning on EPAs will organize on Tuesday 23 September a demonstration/media-stunt in Strasbourg where the European Parliament Plenary will be in session at that moment. Representatives from ACP civil society organisations will be invited to join in Strasbourg and then, if possible to follow to our capitals for national actions towards national MEPs.

Go-ahead for more biofuels
David Adam and Alok Jha The Guardian, Tuesday July 8, 2008
Britain will continue to expand the use of biofuels in petrol and diesel for transport, despite an independent review that found that the fuels can drive up food prices and do little to combat global warming. Ruth Kelly, the transport minister, said yesterday that Britain needed to press ahead with biofuels as the technology could still prove beneficial, but their introduction would be slowed down. "I believe it is right to adopt a more cautious approach until the evidence is clearer about the wider environmental and social effects of biofuels," she said.

The move follows the publication of a review of the environmental and social impact of biofuels by Ed Gallagher, head of the Renewable Fuels Agency. The report recommended that more effective controls needed to be in place to prevent an inadvertent rise in emissions if, for example, forests are cleared to make way for biofuels. Food prices can also rise as competition for land increases. The report said that if left unchecked, current targets for biofuel production could cause a global rise in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in poverty by 2020.

Chad: European Union peacekeeping force tries to tread lightly David Axe, Iriba 7/4/2008
IPS News http://ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=43079
EUFOR is deploying thousands of Polish, French, Irish, and Belgian soldiers and tonnes of equipment to build a major military base in Chad that every day uses tens of thousands of litres of water brought over fragile roads by French convoys from Abéché. Potable water from local wells, 8,000 litres - enough to meet the needs of 500 typical Chadian families - is also used from time to time. There is considerable friction among the local inhabitants.

One issue - water - may just prove too contentious for lasting compromise. Arid eastern Chad has always suffered water shortages. In 2004, a quarter-million Darfuri refugees settled in the region, placing further strain on local water sources. Intensive labor by a wide range of aid groups - drilling new wells, building dams to catch rainwater, opening up channels to feed rain into underground reservoirs - has alleviated but not eliminated the problem. Now EUFOR is deploying thousands of soldiers and tonnes of equipment, all requiring tens of thousands of liters of water per day - and water shortages have become a water crisis.
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