Davos World Economic Forum meeting: FoEI activities, position and contact
details
Update #2 January 25, 2001
Dear friends,
The WEF may not be meeting in Melbourne, but that's no excuse to let them
get out from under the spotlight. The WEF meeting is occurring at the same
time as the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, a civil society
response to the policies advocated by the WEF.
Below you will find some information about what will be happening in Davos.
FoEI ACTIVITIES
FoEI and its Swiss member organisation, Pro Natura, will be part of a NGO
coalition called the 'Public Eye on Davos' that aims to challenge the World
Economic Forum. Members of the coalition are:
- the joint project of the Berne Declaration (coordination),
- the South American Network "Asociacian Lationamericana de Organizaciones
de Promocian" (ALOP),
- Focus on the Global South,
- Friends of the Earth International (and its Swiss affiliate Pro Natura),
- Genetic Resources Action International (GRAIN), the Tebtebba Foundation,
- the World Development Movement and the Network Women in Development
Europe (WIDE).
In 2001 its main activity will be the organisation of an independent,
public NGO conference in Davos (25-28 January). NGO representatives from
all over the world will discuss the following four main topics:
global governance,
corporate control,
international financial relations and
international trade policies.
FoEI's trade/ environment/ sustainability (TES) program has been involved
in organising the following panels:
1) Who's in Control? Making Global Corporations Accountable
This panel will explore the case for binding regulation to make companies
respect and answer to all those that they affect - especially local
communities. Speakers include: -Tony Juniper, FoE International, Oronto
Douglas, Environmental Rights Action / FoE Nigeria, Adam Ma'anit, Corporate
Europe Observatory, Jessica Woodroffe, World Development Movement.
2) Breaking the Taboo: Debating Free Trade and Market Failure.
Organised by Friends of the Earth International and the New Economics
Foundation. Speakers include Ritu Kumar, Economist, Director of the Tata
Energy Research Institute (TERI) Europe, (Obstacles and opportunities in
the market for sustainable trade); Andrew Simms, Head of the Global Economy
Programme, New Economics Foundation. (International trade and climate
change - free trade s free ride on the global climate), Duncan McLaren,
Head of Policy and Research, Friends of the Earth. (False assumptions and
wild claims; a real world critique of the assumptions of neo-classical
economics).
Moderator: Alexandra Wandel, Friends of the Earth, Europe.
On Saturday, a NGO WTO Strategy Meeting will be held in Davos with
participation of Public Citizen, FoEI, CEO, WDM, the Berne Declaration and
many others.
In addition, there will be a FoE action on 29 January and a video link to
Porta Alegre (World Social Forum).
For further information, see www.davos2001.ch, www.weforum.org
-------
FoEI text for WEF meeting
1. The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a private foundation of multinationals
and as such is a legitimate organisation.
2. However, FoEI believes that the companies involved in the WEF are
abusing their economic power and political influence when they meet with
politicians and government officials behind closed doors during the annual
meeting of the WEF in Davos. FoEI believes that existing national and
international controls over the activities and lobbying of such
multinational companies are inadequate to protect the environment or meet
the needs of societies around the world.
3. Furthermore, government and intergovernmental officials should not agree
to participate in these annual, closed meetings of the WEF. Governments
should develop their positions on economic issues in democratic and
transparent fora in conjunction with their own parliaments, policy makers
and all sectors of civil society.
4. The WEF's and governments' ideological support for neoliberal economic
globalisation is preventing the development of sustainable and equitable
economies. Events such as the WEF reinforce these ideological beliefs and
do not offer the needed opportunities for open and participatory critique
of economic globalisation.
FoEI position on demonstrations at Davos.
1. FoEI supports peoples' rights to demonstrate and to express their
opinions freely, including during the WEF in Davos.
2. FoEI opposes violence: not only violence at demonstrations but also the
violence of multinationals against people and the environment.
3. FoEI is firmly opposed to the use of any form of violence in Davos,
whether initiated by the police or by demonstrators.
Contacts in Davos
Tony Juniper, FoE England: ++44-771-284 32 07 (24-30 January)
Miriam Behrens, Pro Natura/FoE Switzerland: ++41-792-160 206 (24-30 January)
Duncan McLaren, FoE England: 44-7941-920 469 (25-30 January)
Alexandra Wandel, FoE Europe: ++49-172-748 39 53 (27-29 January)
Oronto Douglas, FoE Nigeria (no mobile phone number available yet) contact
via Tony Juniper.
Contact in Australia: Damian Sullivan, FoE Australia trade campaigner. (03)
9419 8700.
--
Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/
Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop
Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink
Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
