PRESS RELEASE

Nairobi, 30th November 2005

TEXT FOR HONG KONG FAVOURS RICH COUNTRIES

The draft Ministerial text for the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) Ministerial Conference to be held in Hong Kong on
13-18th December was issued on Saturday 26th November. The
text was presented by the WTO Director General Pascal Lamy
and the General Council chair.

"This draft text for Hong Kong is heavily imbalanced and
biased towards the rich countries", warns Peter Aoga from
EcoNews Africa. "Particularly the part on services is a
major flaw, and, if agreed, would prove disastrous for
African and other developing countries".

The text on services includes proposals from the developed
countries that have been strongly opposed by African and a
wide range of other developing countries in the
negotiations in Geneva. The rich countries are pushing for
rapid liberalization of service sectors in developing
countries.

"The most contentious elements are proposals on a
plurilateral approach and sectoral negotiations on
services. This would mean immense pressure on developing
countries to open up their services sector by sector – even
if they are not yet ready to do so. These proposals go
against the very nature and architecture of the services
agreement itself, says Peter Aoga from EcoNews Africa.

The text on industrial goods is also favouring the
interests of the developed countries while ignoring
proposals that have been made by developing countries. The
rich countries are pushing for drastic tariff reductions
and rapid liberalization of industrial markets in poor
countries. An approach for tariff reductions, which takes
into account development factors, such as revenue
dependency and necessary policy space, which has been
proposed by Caribbean countries, has not even been
mentioned.

"This draft text makes the negotiations at Hong Kong an
uphill battle for developing countries", concludes Peter
Aoga from EcoNews Africa.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Karin Gregow, EcoNews Africa, Tel: 0722-565116