Towards a better deal on trade (March, 2006)
Hilary
Benn attended the WTO trade talks in Hong Kong at the end of 2005. Getting 149
countries to reach an agreement on international trade rules was always going to
be difficult, and so it proved.
But the World Trade Organisation – although it comes in for some criticism - offers poor countries the best chance of trading their way out of poverty and of providing the healthcare, schooling, social security and infrastructure we take for granted in the UK.
At those talks, there was just enough progress on a few important issues to give us hope of reaching a better deal for poor people in 2006.
We are now working hard to make that happen. This feature bring together some of the latest thinking, plus stories from farmers, producers and leaders in the developing world. For more about our policy, please see our pages on trade.
- "We have the weather, the land, the labour costs so we can actually produce and sell." An exclusive interview with the Zambian trade minister, Dipak Patel, reveals what least-developed nations actually want
- Our policy on trade and why we think Economic Partnership Agreements are a good thing
- Case studies on how our support is helping to make trade fairer
- Why aren't we doing more to support the Fair Trade Foundation?
- Other links and resources
Case studies
Gambian is Good is a
horticultural
company established to make small-scale farming work for poor rural Gambian
communities.
Helped by a DFID grant, more than 50 tonnes of produce were traded in the first nine months of 2005, and volumes are set to grow, enabling 'Gambia is Good' to develop as a business well beyond the period of DFID’s grant support.
Our
support to Fair Trade Tourism South Africa helped to promote the concept and principles of fair
trade in the South African tourism industry so that communities and workers
can experience the benefits that tourism can bring.
Our grant of £300,000 through the Business Linkages Challenge Fund helped to implement a trademark programme which recognises fair and responsible tourism practice and gives confidence to buyers.
Other links
- Get your free copy of Trade Matters
- World Trade Organisation outcomes (December, 2005)
- Our support for ethical trading helps UK firms go back to school (February, 2006)
- What did we say last year about Fair Trade Fortnight? (March, 2005)
-
Make
Trade Fair campaign (Oxfam) -
Make
your school Fair Trade friendly (Co-op)
