‘Reclaiming Power- Peoples Resistance to the WTO World Bank &
IMF’
Saturday 13th Oct 2007, North Star Hotel, Amiens St, Dublin
Report by Sarah Clancy, NUI Galway
‘Reclaiming Power- Peoples Resistance to the WTO World Bank & IMF’ was the
title given to a well-attended conference held in Dublin last Saturday - October 13th
2007. The conference was organised by a coalition of the willing; Comhlámh, Debt
and Development Coalition Ireland and the Africa Centre with support from Christian
aid.
The World Bank is to meet in Dublin on November 12th and 13th in the Grand Hotel
Malahide. The conference was an attempt by the organisers to formulate a cohesive
response to this event. One of the dominant themes that arose in the discussions and
speeches at the conference was the notion that the World Bank, the IMF and the
World Trade Organisation are institutions in crisis. Much of the discussion focused on
progressive movements in Latin America, which have enabled governments to free
themselves from the restrictive and damaging conditionalities enforced upon those
who seek assistance from these institutions. Also noted was the USA’s trend towards
unilateralist policies, which is a significant contributor to the demise of the multi
lateral IFI’s.
Approximately one hundred attendees had the opportunity to hear from two visiting
guests- Aileen Kwa a Singaporean representing the Focus on the Global South
organisation and Gonzalo Salgado a Nicaraguan who works for the National
Consumer Defence Network of Nicaragua. Amongst the more local speakers were
Jean Somers, Andy Storey, Conall O’Caoimh and Colin Roche.
Aileen Kwa spoke first and her section included clear examples of how even countries
which had bettered their short term economic situation and been hailed as success
stories by the IMF /World Bank policy advocates nonetheless operated at low levels
of industrialization and had export of primary goods as a significant factor in their
economies. She gave a brief history and explanation of the Bretton Woods
institutions, which noted the corporate agenda involved in their formation. She was
also the first speaker to propose the notion that the institutions were now ‘on the back
foot’. On a personal note she mentioned that one of her high points in attending WTO
trade talks was in September 2003 in Cancun when the developing countries walked
out of proceedings in protest at the terms of trade being proposed. Colin Roche from
Oxfam Ireland also remarked on this as an important moment in the evolution of
developing countries increasing level of ideological independence.
Andy Storey from the Centre for Development Studies in DCU who is well known for
his successful opposition to the Nice Treaty, responded to Aileen Kwa by
emphasising the main thrusts of her argument and augmenting them with observations
on the hugely uncertain era we are now entering regarding the International Financial
Institutions. He suggested the recent internal leadership problems within the World
Bank regarding Paul Wolfowitz were an indication of the weakening stranglehold that
the USA has on the Bretton Woods institutions. In mentioning that the EU is at least
equally as neo liberal as the USA and the IFI’s he led the discussion back to the role
which activists might play in the future evolution of the bureaucracy of international
development finance. Andy noted optimistically that the uncertain era of change we
inhabit at the moment presents an opportunity to remodel institutions in a more
effective fashion.
In a timely balancing of the debate Gonzalo Salgado opened his presentation on
Nicaragua by noting that its government had just taken credit of $250 Million dollars
repayable over five years from the World Bank and that the circumstances of Latin
American countries should not be noted as a cohesive entity. He detailed the
resistance campaign he is involved in which opposes the existing privatisation of
electricity supply in Nicaragua. He challenged all those present with imagining how
to entertain and look after young children without electricity and how to create
enterprise when the cost of monthly electricity was over four times as much as the
value of the stock in small village shops. One startling fact that emerged was that
Spanish ‘Fenosa’ company involved in the energy market in Nicaragua has indicated
its willingness to sell its interest back to the government at a reasonable price but the
government has declined as it does not want the responsibility. He likened the
activities of the IFI’s to genocide.
One other speaker who added originality and practicality to the proceedings was Jean
Somers, formerly of Debt and Development Coalition. She highlighted precedents
where Irish activists have influenced the actions of our Governments regarding their
actions as members of the International Financial institutions. She detailed the lack of
public space for debate in the Irish context and how activists must consider where
they stand regarding their inclusion as a critical voice within the consensus, or an
external opposition or even as an alternative voice creating an autonomous entity
separate from existing consensus. She noted that activists should only speak to
‘delegitimise’or to organise and that we must avoid branding through use of language
such as social capital and social entrepreneur.
The final section of the day’s proceedings explained how Ireland is represented at the
World Bank by Canada and proposed that we petition the government here and
particularly Minister Brian Cowen to restrict Ireland’s contribution to the minimum
necessary for membership. There is to be an e-mail discussion regarding the proposed
activities for the World Bank meeting in order to ensure a strong and representative
protest. Anyone wising to be included can contact either Comhlamh or Debt and
Development Coalition Ireland.