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  Poverty / Development / Economic, social & cultural rights: Oct.-Dec. 2001 

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Oct.-Dec. 2001:

Experts Advocate More Health Spending To Save Lives - A $66 billion increase in annual development aid for health care in poor countries would not only save some 8 million lives per year but also generate at least $360 billion annually by 2015, a World Health Organization-commissioned panel said yesterday in a new report. (UN Wire, 21 Dec. 2001)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: Annan Outlines Visions In Report For Summit - In a report released yesterday, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan submits a critical assessment of progress made toward Agenda 21, the plan of action adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro....His report also says that "despite initiatives by governments, international organizations, business, civil society groups and individuals to achieve sustainable development, progress towards the goals established at Rio has been slower than anticipated and in some respects are worse than they were 10 years ago." (UN Wire, 21 Dec. 2001)

Environment summit [Earth Summit - Johannesburg 2002] in South Africa to battle poverty:..."The most toxic substance, also for the environment, is poverty," Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), told a news conference..."We need private businesses in Johannesburg, and we need them in a reliable and concrete way," he said....Brende [Norway's Environment Minister Boerge Brende] said he was working to create an U.N. High Commissioner for the Environment as well as an U.N.-sponsored international expert panel in order to lift environmental issues higher on the global agenda. (Erik Brynhildsbakken, Reuters, 21 Dec. 2001)

Tobin tax would snarl international trade and investment: The International Chamber of Commerce has condemned the proposed "Tobin tax", designed to deter speculative capital flows, as harmful to international trade, economic growth and businesses throughout the world. (International Chamber of Commerce, 20 Dec. 2001)

UNIDO [U.N. Industrial Development Organization]: Interview With Director General Carlos Magarinos [includes section on "The Role Of The Public And Private Sectors"; refers to UNIDO agreement with Ericsson to work in Northern Africa to promote the utilization of information communication technologies, and to program with the government of India & Fiat to develop supply components] (UN Wire, 17 Dec. 2001)

Creating poverty: Flaws in economic logic of The World Bank’s revised involuntary resettlement policy (Theodore E. Downing, 15 Dec. 2001)

World Bank and IMF Anti-Poverty Schemes Still Rile Grassroots: Despite a two-year focus on reducing poverty in its client countries, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund are sticking to economic prescriptions that may have increased poverty and joblessness in many nations and widened the gap between rich and poor, according to a number of grassroots development groups. (Jim Lobe, OneWorld US, 14 Dec. 2001)

Financial analysts reveal Angolan Government's shameful secret: Where are the 'missing billions'? Reuters in Luanda reported yesterday that US$1.5 billion in oil revenues, over one-third of Angola's US$3-5 billion in total income - went missing last year...The IMF uncovered the missing billions in its Oil Diagnostic Programme, which is comparing revenue reported as paid by the oil companies operating in the country - currently, mainly from TotalFinaElf and Chevron-Texaco - with the money that actually appeared on the Government's books..."International oil companies and banks that continue to do business in Angola, operating with a complete lack of transparency, and hence accountability, are complicit in this situation. The oil and banking sector refuse to release any public information about the magnitude of their payments to the State, making it impossible for civil society to hold the Angolan Government to account over misappropriation of state assets." (Global Witness, 13 Dec. 2001)

Transcript from Globalizing Freedom and Prosperity [transcript of panel discussion with Amartya Sen, Joseph Stiglitz, Susan George, George Soros and Candido Grzybowski on how to change the current unequal form of globalization] (Olof Palme Center, 11 Dec. 2001)

Poverty alliance would be Sept 11 memorial-Britain: Britain's deputy prime minister said yesterday a global commitment to address poverty at a world summit next September would be a fitting memorial to those killed in the September 11 attacks on the United States (David Brunnstrom, Reuters, 11 Dec. 2001) 

Does globalization help fight poverty? (Dennis M. Arroyo, Inquirer News Service [Philippines], 9 Dec. 2001)

Grameen Bank, Icon of Microcredit, Runs Into Delinquency Problems [Bangladesh]: Grameen Bank, a model for as many as 7,000 lending institutions that provide underserved individuals with small loans to start businesses, is having difficulties with relatively high rates of delinquency in the northern part of Bangladesh. (Business for Social Responsibility, 7 Dec. 2001)

ANGOLA: WFP Tells Gov't To Contribute More, Rebuild Airports, Roads -  The World Food Program yesterday called on Angola to step up its contribution to humanitarian aid programs that are expected next year to benefit 4 million Angolans who have left their homes fleeing civil conflict..."We hope there will be a more significant contribution by the government. ... We think it's in a position to do more," WFP regional director for Central Africa Holdbrook Arthur said of the oil-rich state. (UN Wire, 7 Dec. 2001)

Firms mull anti-poverty role:...Long-term investors in emerging markets increasingly find that they have a role to play in times of war, refugee crises or humanitarian disasters. (BBC News, 6 Dec. 2001)

The accidental internationalists: For this proponent of a radical reform of the world’s economic and political relationships, the defence of globalisation by its privileged partisans is deeply unconvincing. (Andrew Simms, Policy Director of New Economics Foundation, openDemocracy website, 5 Dec. 2001)

Globalization Must Work for the Poor, Says New Research Report: World Bank study proposes seven-point action plan - Globalization has helped reduce poverty in a large number of developing countries but it must be harnessed better to help the world's poorest, most marginalized countries improve the lives of their citizens, says a new World Bank research report published today. (World Bank, 5 Dec. 2001)

Amartya Sen and the Thousand Faces of Poverty: Sen believes...globalization can be neither rejected outright nor accepted without serious criticism. First, we have to see what percentage of the world is benefiting from it. (Charo Quesada Inter-American Development Bank, 5 Dec. 2001) 

Feast or Famine: A report documenting conflicts and abuses of vital fishing grounds in Cambodia [Conflicts are arising as local peoples' traditional rights to fish are usurped by commercial fishing companies that are being granted almost exclusive access to harvest fish on some of the richest wetland sites across the country] (Environmental Justice Foundation, Dec. 2001)

Intellectual Property and the Knowledge Gap [regarding intellectual property rules affecting people's access to medicines, seeds and educational materials, and the ability of poor countries to develop and participate in global markets] (Oxfam policy paper, Dec. 2001)

Rich Countries Owe 'Eco-Debt' to Poor Ones, Say Activists: If wealthy nations only realised how much ''ecological debt'' they owe poor ones, they would drop their financial claims against the debtor countries of the developing world, say anti-debt and environmental campaigners...Ecological debt is the notion that the industrialised countries should compensate the Third World for centuries of exploiting its natural resources and should pay damages for the unsustainable consumption patterns and polluting carbon emissions that have led to global warming. (Brian Kenety, Inter Press Service, 21 Nov. 2001)

WTO Doha Conference a Setback for Labour and the Poor:...Dressed up in the language of a "development round" and rhetorical invocations of the commitment to poverty-alleviation is a significant victory for the proponents of corporate globalization...The accession of China must be seen as positive affirmation of the unlimited right of WTO member states to repress workers and elevate union busting to the level of national policy. (International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations [IUF], 21 Nov. 2001)

TECHNOLOGY: U.N. Task Force To Raise "Global Interconnectivity" - The United Nations launched its Information and Communication Technologies Task Force yesterday in New York, announcing an aim of increasing "global interconnectivity" and spreading the benefits of the digital revolution. (UN Wire, 21 Nov. 2001)

full report: E-Commerce and Development Report 2001: The Electronic Commerce and Development Report 2001 reviews trends that developing countries need to be aware of as they try to position their economies to take advantage of ICT and the Internet. (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 20 Nov. 2001) {···english}, with summary in {···español} and {···français}

Renowned US Economists Denounce Corporate-Led Globalization:...Recent Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, along with well-known economist Paul Krugman, have of late made a flurry of public statements critical of the policies and processes of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank / IMF, and the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) — while leaving plenty of harsh words for the blatantly pro-corporate actions of the Bush Administration. Both economists point to the disruptive and distorting influence of large corporate entities through their dominance over both domestic and international institutions. (James L. Phelan, Grassroots Globalization Network, 18 Nov. 2001)

New Thinking About How to Help the Poorest Help Themselves:...To fight poverty in a globalizing economy, a new approach to development is emerging. (Jean-Louis Sarbib, Ian Johnson and Gobind Nankani, vice presidents of the World Bank, in International Herald Tribune, 17 Nov. 2001) 

The Meaning of Doha [regarding WTO conference; includes section entitled "Doha and the Developing Countries"] (Walden Bello, Director of Focus on the Global South, & Anuradha Mittal, Director of Food First, in CorpWatch website, 15 Nov. 2001) 

Do patents threaten food security? Global food security is under threat from "bio-pirates" who take plants from developing countries, change them slightly then patent the new varieties, according to anti-poverty groups and activists (Karen Iley, Reuters, 15 Nov. 2001)

Scientist sees hope for Africa in GM crops: African farmers waging the age-old battle against pests and crop disease are not nearly as well-armed as their counterparts in Europe and North America. But biotechnology could provide them with powerful tools to help feed a growing population and reduce hunger, Kenyan plant scientist Florence Wambugu said...Wambugu dismissed the idea that biotechnology companies are forcing GM crops on Africa. But she said that adoption of biotech crops in Africa will be a long, slow process. (Julie Ingwersen, Reuters, 15 Nov. 2001)

Inequality of world incomes: what should be done? (Robert Wade, openDemocracy website, 14 Nov. 2001)

Victory on public health but few other gains for people in poverty - Oxfam is giving a four-out-of-ten score to the WTO deal struck today at Doha. There is a clear victory on public health, but Oxfam fears that developing countries can be bulldozed into agreeing a huge trade agenda which could exacerbate poverty and inequality. (Oxfam, 14 Nov. 2001)

Oxfam, EU clash over market access for the poor: In Doha where the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting is being held, the British charity organisation, Oxfam and the European Union (EU) Commissioner Pascal Lamy clashed publicly on whether the industrialised world had lived up to its promises to extend fair trade to the poor world. The Oxfam indictment, a widely-circulated document called Eight broken promises: Why the WTO isn't working for the world's poor, drew a fiery response from Lamy who issued a six-page riposte, ripping into the Oxfam research. (Farah Khan, Daily News [Zimbabwe], 13 Nov. 2001)

Global Unions call WTO draft declaration a recipe for disaster: As a result of its disregard for basic human rights and development concerns, the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha stands to further undermine the legitimacy of the WTO, according to the ICFTU, the world’s largest trade union body. (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 13 Nov. 2001)

The gospel of globalisation - Business leaders must promote the social and economic benefits of liberalisation, says Henry Paulson (Henry Paulson, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Goldman Sachs group, in Financial Times, 12 Nov. 2001)

Forests: UNEP Urges Countries To Address Causes Of Deforestation - The U.N. Environment Program Thursday urged countries to address poverty as a major cause of deforestation in anticipation of this week's meeting of international experts in Montreal to discuss threats facing the world's forests. (UN Wire, 12 Nov. 2001)

Hunger fighters see biotech hope for poor nations:..."You have two choices," Borlaug [plant scientist and Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug] told Reuters in an interview. "You need it to further improve yields so that you can continue to produce the food that's needed on the soil that's well-adapted to agricultural production. Or, you'll be pushed into cutting down more of our forests."...GM crop pioneers like Monsanto, fighting to win hearts and minds for the crop technology, have now turned actively to addressing the problems of the developing world. (Julie Ingwersen, Reuters, 12 Nov. 2001)

China hints at active role in development issues at WTO (Kyodo News [Japan], 11 Nov. 2001)

ILO blasts govt subsidies: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said that subsidising of agriculture by developed countries is killing employment in the third world. (Eliud Miring'uh, East African Standard [Nairobi], 10 Nov. 2001)

GM crop research slow to reach hungry Third World: With thousands of the world's poor dying from starvation every day and millions going to bed on an empty stomach, many desperate voices are calling on richer countries to use genetic science to wage an all-out war on famine...Not everyone agrees that GM food will necessarily become the saviour for the world's hungry and critics insist that there is, as yet, no conclusive evidence of the touted benefits. (Jeremy Smith, Reuters, 9 Nov. 2001) 

Is globalisation good for the world? Peter Sutherland and Shirley Williams in discussion (openDemocracy website, 8 Nov. 2001)

Climate Change: Billions Across The Tropics Face Hunger And Starvation As Big Drop In Crop Yields Forecast -...Harvests of some of the world's most important food crops could fall by as much as a third in some crucial parts of the planet as a result of climate change, scientists are warning. The decline comes at a time when there is an urgent need to raise yields to feed as growing, global, population. (United Nations Environment Programme, 8 Nov. 2001)

Earth on edge of a precipice - UN report: The human race is plundering Earth at an unsustainable rate, but the growing power of women over their own futures could save the planet from destruction, the United Nations said yesterday...The report, "Footprints and Milestones: Population and Environmental Change", said bluntly more people were using more resources more intensively than ever before. (Jeremy Lovell, Reuters, 8 Nov. 2001)

WTO to Hear Calls for 'Robin Hood' Tax: Campaigners are stepping up calls for a "Robin Hood" tax on the global currency trade ahead of a high-level summit of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in the Gulf state of Qatar later this week. A "small and simple" levy on the world's currency market could wipe out the worst of global poverty, according to a report released Monday by anti-poverty charity War on Want and leading alternative think-tank the New Economics Foundation. (Sebastian Naidoo, OneWorld UK , 6 Nov. 2001) 

Wanted - global authority to tame big business: British charity Christian Aid last week urged delegations heading for next week's World Trade Organisation conference in Qatar to consider the need for a new global regulator to bring corporations under legally binding control. (Reuters, 5 Nov. 2001)

WTO talks could make things worse - environmentalists: Global trade rules are damaging small farmers, local food producers and rural communities and next week's World Trade Organisation meeting could make things worse, Friends of the Earth said in a report yesterday. The environmentalist group said that food and farming policy were now loaded in favour of big farmers and transnational companies, which makes the poor poorer. (Reuters, 2 Nov. 2001)

Rich world hypocrisy and double standards threaten WTO legitimacy - The World Trade Organisation (WTO) faces a critical test of legitimacy at its forthcoming meeting in Doha, Qatar (9 – 13 November), due to sustained and blatant first world hypocrisy according to a new report, Broken Promises, released today by the campaigning aid agency Oxfam International. (Oxfam, 2 Nov. 2001)

The WTO, Forests and the Spirit of Rio:...Since its inception, the WTO has undermined the agreements reached in Rio by replacing the environmental agenda with the corporate push for indiscriminate international trade...[I]n the tropics...increased trade of all sorts of goods -- ranging from logs to aluminum, from shrimp to palm oil to soya beans -- results in forest destruction and the impoverishment of local communities. (Ricardo Carrere, International Coordinator of the World Rainforest Movement, for CorpWatch, 1 Nov. 2001)

Annan urges trade round to aid poorer nations: Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general, called on Thursday for a global response to rebuild confidence in the international economic system after the September 11 attacks in the US, including the launch of new world trade talks to benefit poorer countries...Juan Somavia, ILO director-general, also backed a new trade round to make trade "a locomotive of equitable growth and decent work creation". (Frances Williams & Nancy Dunne, Financial Times, 1 Nov. 2001)

EMPLOYMENT: Annan Stresses Plight Of Poor Following Terrorist Attacks - Addressing the opening of the International Labor Organization's Global Employment Forum in Geneva, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said today that the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States will have "severe and multiple" effects on the job market and the poor. Citing the ILO estimate that 24 million could lose their jobs by the end of next year, Annan called for global economic integration that takes into account social and employment difficulties. (UN Wire, 1 Nov. 2001)

Leading Senegalese company joins anti-poverty initiative: One of Senegal's leading companies is joining UNDP in a programme to lift poor rural communities out of poverty by offering small business loans, widening access to social services, and training people for jobs. Industries Chimiques du Sénégal (ICS) is supporting an initiative to make micro-finance services available to poor communities, particularly for young people and women. ICS will help small businesses set up under the country's anti-poverty programme enter into sub-contracts with it. (United Nations Development Programme, 1 Nov. 2001)

Coastal communities hit hard by fishing industry [Indonesia]: Communities who depend upon coastal resources for their livelihoods are being pushed aside - sometimes by violent means - as entrepreneurs rush to maximise profits from the seas. (Down to Earth Newsletter, Nov. 2001)

Sand mining destroys community resources [Indonesia]: The mining of coastal sands for export is blighting the livelihoods of small-scale fisherfolk in Riau. (Down to Earth Newsletter, Nov. 2001)

War on Want WTO Policy Statement (War on Want, Nov. 2001)

Call for trade round as economy falters: The World Bank has urged global leaders to launch a trade round for the benefit of developing countries. (Steve Schifferes, BBC News, 31 Oct. 2001)

The Paradox of Poverty and Corporate Globalisation [refers to Shell's environmental and human rights impact on Ogoni community in Nigeria] (Owens Wiwa, Executive Director of AFRIDA - African Environmental and Human Development Agency and brother of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, speech to International Conference on Globalisation, 30 Oct. 2001)

Science Helps Poverty Fight: New CGIAR [Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research] report says scientific efforts aimed at helping poor farmers are key to reducing hunger, malnutrition - Nourishing a Peaceful Earth: the CGIAR's Contributions... provides concrete examples of how scientists, in partnership with industrialized and developing countries, are producing new technologies and other solutions to boost crop yields, increase rural incomes, and reduce the use of pesticides. (Development News, World Bank, 30 Oct. 2001

Protesters urge World Bank to halt oil funding: Environmental group Friends of the Earth held a protest in Brussels yesterday against World Bank funding of oil, gas and mining projects in developing nations. (Reuters, 30 Oct. 2001)

Is FTSE4Good just stock market capitalism dressed in green? Craig Mackenzie [FTSE4Good Advisory Committee Deputy Chairman] and Rob Cartridge [Campaigns Director for War on Want] debate the credentials of the new stock index that boasts environmental standards (The Ecologist, 26 Oct. 2001)

Making, and respecting, the rules - An interview with Maria Livanos Cattaui [as the head of the International Chamber of Commerce, she is one of the foremost advocates of globalisation] (openDemocracy website, 25 Oct. 2001)

Globalisation – the view from Bhutan (Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley, Foreign Minister of Bhutan, openDemocracy website, 25 Oct. 2001)

Making Trade Liberalization Work Against World Poverty:...One of the keys to success for the Doha meeting will be for the developed countries to articulate what they mean by, and are prepared to do about, a so-called development round. (Donald J. Johnston, Secretary-General, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in International Herald Tribune, 25 Oct. 2001)

Development at Risk from Environmental Degradation: World Bank presents initiative for sustainable commitments - The combination of resource depletion and population growth places the sustainability of development at risk in a large number of the poorest countries, according to today's launch of Environment Matters – the World Bank's annual environmental review. (World Bank, 25 Oct. 2001)

Greenspan [US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan] sees terror threat to globalisation:...Through its effect on economic growth, free trade had, he argued, been a powerful force for prosperity. The vast increases in wealth in democratic capitalist countries had, moreover, been used "in large measure... to improve the quality of life."..."To cite a short list", Mr Greenspan continued, that had meant "Greater longevity... a universal system of education that enabled greatly increased social mobility... vastly improved conditions of work, and... the ability to enhance our environment by setting aside natural resources rather than employing them to sustain a minimum level of subsistence." (Financial Times, 25 Oct. 2001) 

Miners to focus on sustainability - Noranda CEO: Mining companies need to work in tandem with governments and NGOs to produce a viable sustainable development model for the industry, David Kerr, president of Canadian miner Noranda, said this week. In a speech prepared for the London Metal Exchange (LME) annual dinner, Kerr said the industry was taking steps to address its unfavourable image. "The fact is, we are perceived negatively, and our freedom to operate is increasingly coming under threat"...The economic requirement for sustainability is that a business should remain profitable, while on the environmental front the mining industry has made significant progress, he said. "When it comes to the social measures, however, our record is more checkered.... It is only recently that issues such as poverty and human rights have begun to bite," Kerr said. He cited the company's Antamina copper-zinc joint venture in Peru as an example of potential social issues facing mining development. (Reuters, 24 Oct. 2001) 

Environmental damage hits poor hardest, Administrator tells Latin American conference: Environmental damage, from disappearing tropical forests to diminishing supplies of clean water, has a "disproportionately brutal impact on the poor", said UNDP [U.N. Development Programme] Administrator Mark Malloch Brown in statement delivered at a regional conference yesterday in Rio de Janeiro preparing for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Unless these problems are reversed, the world will not meet the development targets set at last year's UN Millennium Summit, particularly the goal of halving extreme poverty by 2015, he pointed out. UNDP has made the summit on sustainable development, to be held in Johannesburg next September, "our highest corporate priority for next year", said the Administrator. (Newsfront, U.N. Development Programme, 24 October 2001)

With us or against us: Is the emerging global coalition with or against eradicating poverty? Mark Curtis, Christian Aid's Head of Policy, fears that in the aftermath of September 11, the 'with or against' edict may result in policies that further harm poor people. (Christian Aid, 23 Oct. 2001) 

AFRICA: Leaders Finalize New Africa Initiative - Leaders of eight African countries met today in Abuja, Nigeria, to finalize the New Africa Initiative, which is considered by some a "Marshall Plan" for the continent and is the product of more than a year of lobbying by the presidents of South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria, as well as Western leaders...Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo opened the meeting today by urging African leaders to accept responsibility for the continent's past failures to end conflict and promote democracy...African governments have a responsibility to protect human rights and uphold the rule of law, he added...The initiative reflects ambitious goals in the areas of peace and democracy, education, investment, information technology, communications and infrastructure. The plan includes tackling the spread of HIV/AIDS and ending armed conflict on the continent. (UN Wire, 23 Oct. 2001) 

The message gets muddied: "It’s very difficult to disentangle yourself from these radical groups," says Justin Forsyth, policy director at Oxfam. "And the violence is counter-productive and takes attention away from the issues." Mr Forsyth's comments reflect a general frustration among many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) about the havoc being wreaked by extremist groups when it comes to globalisation protests and the fact that they are increasingly eager to distance themselves from the radical groups behind much of the violence. (Sarah Murray, in Responsible business in the global economy: A Financial Times Guide, 23 Oct. 2001) 

Bridging the digital divide: A healthy dose of self-interest can be a powerful tool when combined with corporate social responsibility. And in recent years, the shortfall in skilled IT and telecoms workers has encouraged many large corporations in the information and communications technology sector to sink resources in initiatives aimed at tackling the global digital divide. One of the most successful examples has been Cisco Systems Networking Academy (Sarah Murray, in Responsible business in the global economy: A Financial Times Guide, 23 Oct. 2001)

Giant mining group launches 'citizenship train' [Brazil]:...In a novel public-private partnership with the Maranhao state government, Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD), the giant mining group, launched what it calls the "citizenship train"...On board the custom-fitted carriages, officials issue identity papers as well as birth and death certificates in 15 minutes, instead of the three months it would normally take. Physicians, including dentists and gynaecologists, perform preventative examinations, offer treatment and counsel, and provide free medication as well as vaccinations for humans and animals. (Raymond Colitt, in Responsible business in the global economy: A Financial Times Guide, 23 Oct. 2001)

Close, But No Cigar: Starbucks' programs show improvement in commitment to fair trade, but not nearly enough - On Friday Starbucks announced new programs related to Fair Trade Certified coffee, including the commitment to purchase 1 million pounds of coffee over the next 18 months. Global Exchange is pleased about any increase in the amount of Fair Trade Certified coffee purchased in the United States, as it means a direct and immediate improvement in the lives of farmers around the world. However, the announcement falls short of offering brewed Fair Trade coffee at least once a week at all store locations, a move that would prove a significant commitment to Fair Trade...And Starbucks' volume as a percentage of sales is still far below the industry minimum standard of 5% Fair Trade shared by almost every other of the 100 companies offering Fair Trade Certified coffee. (Deborah James, Global Exchange, 22 Oct. 2001)

Asia leader criticizes globalization: With Pacific Rim leaders pushing more economic globalization, Malaysia's leader delivered an alternative broadside Saturday against ways of the West he says are leaving too many people behind. (Dirk Beveridge, Associated Press, 20 Oct. 2001)

Pakistan launches initiative against air, water pollution and drought: Clean air, clean water, and steps to alleviate the impact of drought top the priorities in a five-year, US$43 million programme launched this week by Pakistan and UNDP. The initiative supports the national environmental action plan approved in February by the President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, and is linked to strategies to reduce poverty. (U.N. Development Programme, 18 Oct. 2001)

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: 2002 Summit To Stress Poverty Reduction - African environment ministers meeting this week at the U.N. Environment Program's Nairobi headquarters issued a statement yesterday outlining a common position to be pursued when delegates convene in Johannesburg next September for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The ministers said poverty alleviation and environmental regeneration will be key priorities for the summit, and that Africa will urge attendees "to adopt concrete measures to provide a solid foundation for an immediate and focused international assault on some of the worst aspects of global poverty and hence environmental degradation." (UN Wire, 18 Oct. 2001)

International environmentalist delegation tours El Salvador to assess human triggered disasters, promote solutions - ..."Preventing earthquakes is obviously beyond our control," said Dr. Navarro, "But if not for deforestation and ill-conceived development of the type we campaigned against for eight years at La Cordillera El Bálsamo, I'm convinced the human toll would have been significantly lower."..."Natural disasters, in many cases, are simply manifestations of deeper, structural problems, namely climate change, unsustainable development, and unchecked economic globalization," said Dr. Otto Sieber, biologist and Director of Switzerland's well-known environmental organization Pro Natura, part of the Friends of the Earth network. (Friends of the Earth, 16 Oct. 2001)

Clinton urges end to global inequalities after war: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said yesterday the United States and its allies had to win the war against terrorism but in the long run the West also had to bring an end to global inequalities...He said global inequalities fuelled violence and the United States and other wealthy countries had to do more to combat poverty, AIDS and environmental issues such as global warming. (Reuters, 16 Oct. 2001)

'New Development Agenda' in Doha? The fourth ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) scheduled next month in Doha may end up being described as setting a 'new development agenda' and not just yet another 'new round' of trade talks. (Kalinga Seneviratne, Inter Press Service, 15 Oct. 2001) 

UNEP's [United Nations Environment Programme's] 18th Consultative meeting with Industry Associations Paris, 4 - 5 October, 2001: Preparing for the World Summit on Sustainable Development - A call for partnerships and a proactive approach - As a contribution to the preparation process for next year's World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, representatives of some fifty industry associations from different parts of the world met in Paris last week. The two day event, the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) 18th Consultative Meeting with Industry Associations, was, for the first time, also attended by non-industry civil society representatives such as Rémi Parmentier, Political Director of Greenpeace International and Ricardo Navarro, Chair of Friends of the Earth International. With discussion often returning to the need for "partnerships" and the greater involvement of business and industry from the developing world, various speakers called for a more pro-active approach by the sector in addressing the complex issues surrounding sustainable development. (United Nations Environment Programme, 12 Oct. 2001)

Business wants legacy on sustainable development, but that will take money: World business leaders attending the Business Strategy Meeting said that they will focus on leaving a lasting legacy benefiting Johannesburg and South Africa, the hosts of the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, consisting of infrastructure development, inward investment, and social programs...The idea behind the meeting was to look at the good examples over the last 10 years where business has actually made a contribution to sustainable development and to examine the industries where there are plans in place for a sustainable future. This would provide governments with concrete examples on both what has worked and what has failed in the past. (Sacha Shivdasani, Earth Times News Service, 11 Oct. 2001)

New Oxfam America Report Reveals Poverty, Health Problems Worse in Developing Countries Dependent on Oil And Mining: Findings released as World Bank launches major review of extractive resource projects (Oxfam America, 10 Oct. 2001)

P&G eschews fair-trade coffee offered by some sellers: Procter & Gamble Co. is resisting the decision of some companies to sell coffee that returns more profits to growers. Instead, P&G prefers its tradition of helping poor communities where the coffee is grown. (John Nolan, Associated Press, 10 Oct. 2001) 

New Oxfam America Report Reveals Poverty, Health Problems Worse in Developing Countries Dependent on Oil And Mining: Findings released as World Bank launches major review of extractive resource projects - Developing countries that rely heavily on oil or mineral exports suffer higher rates of poverty and child mortality, and spend more on their militaries than similar countries with more diverse economies, according to a study released today by Oxfam America. (Oxfam America, 10 Oct. 2001)

Report shows near empty pipeline of drugs for diseases of the world's poor: Virtually no new drugs are being developed for diseases that predominantly affect the poor, according to "Fatal Imbalance", a report issued today by the international medical aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). (Médecins Sans Frontières, 9 Oct. 2001)

HEALTH: Profit Alone Motivates Drug Companies, Say Health Activists - A report released Tuesday by the humanitarian group Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF - Doctors Without Borders) says almost no new drugs are being developed for diseases that primarily affect the world's poor populations. The MSF report, titled "Fatal Imbalance: The Crisis in Research and Development for Drugs for Neglected Diseases", states that in the last five years the world's 11 leading pharmaceutical corporations have placed just one tuberculosis medication on the market...Eight of these 11 companies "have conducted no research in the last year for fatal diseases that almost exclusively affect the poor: sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis," according to the Paris-based MSF, 1999 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. (Gustavo Capdevila, Inter Press Service, 9 Oct. 2001)

HIV/AIDS: Australia Says Pandemic Threatens To Mire Asia-Pacific In Poverty - The HIV/AIDS pandemic threatens to undo years of economic and social development in the Asia-Pacific region, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told health ministers and government representatives from 35 countries today in Melbourne at the 6th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. (UN Wire, 9 Oct. 2001)

Is the WTO serious about reducing world poverty? The Development Agenda for Doha (briefing paper, Oxfam, 8 Oct. 2001)

Child labour 'not linked to poverty': Policy makers and anti-child labour activists who believe that it is always the most desperate children who work may have to think again. A new study on rural Pakistan claims that rich kids are more likely to work than children from poor landless families. (Nadeem Yaqub, Business Recorder [Pakistan], 6 Oct. 2001)

'Halt terror against the earth' [India]: The Maharashtra Government has reportedly given the rights to a lake - which hitherto was the community resource and a source of livelihood for the local population - to the soft drinks giant, Coca Cola, for running one of its several bottling plants in the country. This is not an isolated case. Globalisation is allowing a handful of corporations such as Cargill and Vivendi to own and control public land and water through contract farming, privatisation and commodification of resources. Corporations such as Monsanto, Syngenta and Novartis are pirating and trying to own and control our biodiversity, food, medicinal plants and knowledge through patents and IPR claims such as the neem patents, basmati and other rice patents. (Soma Basu, The Hindu [India], 5 Oct. 2001)

Use technology to uplift people [India]: CM [Chief Minister] - The Technology Summit and Technology Platform 2001, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), got off to a start with the speakers focussing on the use of technology as a tool to eradicate poverty and achieve growth on the one hand, and the need to develop indigenous technology to suit Indian conditions on the other. (The Hindu [India], 5 Oct. 2001)

US Protocol aims to end child slavery in cocoa fields: On 1 October, the international cocoa and chocolate industry signed a Protocol in the United States to eliminate child slavery in the chocolate industry...Anti-Slavery welcomes the introduction of the Protocol as a positive move by the chocolate industry to take responsibility for labour practices throughout its supply chain. However, we are concerned that it might fail to address the situation of young adults (18 years and older) who may find themselves working under conditions of forced labour. It is vital that any investigation and subsequent strategy tackle all forms of forced labour and also address the conditions that foster trafficking in the region, principally poverty and lack of alternatives. (Anti-Slavery International, 4 Oct. 2001)

Speech by Tony Blair, Prime Minister [UK], Labour Party conference, Brighton 2001 [comments on issues including globalisation and poverty] (U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, 3 Oct. 2001)

LATIN AMERICA: Region Remains World's Most Unequal, U.N. Says - The Latin American and Caribbean region remains the "most unequal" area in the world and has not improved income distribution during the last decade, according to a new U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean report. (UN Wire, 2 Oct. 2001)

POVERTY: Annan Says Reaching Millennium Summit Goal Doubtful: The goal adopted at last year's Millennium Summit of halving world poverty by 2015 is looking doubtful, according to a new report released Thursday by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, who notes that reaching the target at this point "appears extremely bleak." (UN Wire, 1 Oct. 2001)

Vast Global Toll Forecast From the Sept. 11 Attacks: Shock Reverberates in Developing World - As many as 40,000 children under the age of 5 will die and some 10 million more people will be condemned to poverty because of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, the president of the World Bank said Sunday. (Alan Friedman, International Herald Tribune, 1 Oct. 2001)

Poverty To Rise in Wake Of Terrorist Attacks in US: Millions more people condemned to poverty in 2002 - The September 11 terrorist attacks in the US will hurt economic growth in developing countries worldwide in 2001 and 2002, condemning as many as 10 million more people to live in poverty next year, and hampering the fight against childhood diseases and malnutrition, the World Bank says in a preliminary economic assessment released today. (World Bank, 1 Oct. 2001)

The unremarkable record of liberalized trade - After 20 years of global economic deregulation, poverty and inequality are as pervasive as ever (Christian E. Weller, Robert E. Scott and Adam S. Hersh, Economic Policy Institute, Oct. 2001)