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PM: Megaprojects will go on
25-Oct-2008
Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has told European Union delegates his government will solve Thailand’s political crisis through democratic means to ensure the country’s planned megaprojects can proceed.
Pacific ACP countries keen on single agreement with EU
25-Oct-2008
The Pacific members of the African Caribbean and Pacific group of nations that rely on aid assistance from the European Union say they will continue to push for a single Economic Partnership Agreement, or EPA, for the region.
Hage versus the EU
25-Oct-2008
It should come as no surprise that Namibian Trade and Industry Minister Hage Geingob and European Union Ambassador Elizabeth Pape almost came to verbal blows this week.
Free trade, suicide clause and growing hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean
24-Oct-2008 RMR
The free trade agreements that the US and the European Union “propose” to Latin America and the Caribbean include waiving sovereign control on food flows. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization admits that although food production increased in the region, the number of people suffering hunger also did.
Uribe agrees to talks with indigenous protesters
24-Oct-2008 IPS
"The police did fire" on indigenous protesters, said Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, who yielded to pressure to meet next Sunday with the leaders of a two-week-long demonstration by native groups.
Mercosur proposes agreement with Egypt
24-Oct-2008 iStockAnalyst
Last week, the Mercosur submitted a free trade agreement negotiation proposal to the Egyptian government. The draft document, containing the broad lines for a treaty, was handed over by a delegation from the South American bloc to Cairo
Colombia: Authorities suppress coverage of indigenous protests
24-Oct-2008 IFEX
At least one person was killed and more than 130 were wounded during indigenous demonstrations last week in several departments in Colombia. But with multiple press freedom violations being committed, you would be hard-pressed to find out what’s going on.
NAM president calls for study of a transatlantic free trade area
24-Oct-2008 Thomas.net
The US-based National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President John Engler today called for in-depth study of a "Transatlantic Free Trade Area" between either the European Union and the United States or the EU and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) nations.
EU’s Solana targets deal with Syria next year
24-Oct-2008 AFP
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana held talks on Thursday with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the Middle East peace process and regional issues. He voiced hope that both sides might next year sign an "association" agreement.
Audio: Indigenous Colombians begin 10,000-strong march against Uribe government
24-Oct-2008 DN!
More than 10,000 indigenous Colombians have begun a protest march against President Alvaro Uribe. Marchers are protesting the militarization of their territories, the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, and the failure of Uribe’s administration to fulfill various accords with the indigenous communities.
The Andean Community and the European Union: Crisis on the FTA negotiations?
24-Oct-2008 Anarkismo
In this article we provide an overview of the milestones in this negotiation and reveal its true nature: that of a new Neo-liberal colonialist imposition disguised as an “association”.
APEC November meeting to discuss free-trade accord, Peru says
24-Oct-2008 Bloomberg
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum will study a proposed European Union-style free-trade agreement at a November meeting in Lima, Peru’s government said today.
Audio: Indigenous march against free trade policies
24-Oct-2008 FSRN
In Colombia, thousands of indigenous people are staging a week long march. Marchers plan to march through 70 miles of Colombia’s countryside. They say they want to change economic policies that are impoverishing their nations. And they reject the presence of US corporations on their lands. Manuel Rueda joined the march as it passed through Colombia’s Cauca Province.
Some Pacific Island countries still not ready for free trade
23-Oct-2008 Pacific Magazine
Not all Pacific Islands countries are ready to open their doors to free trade under the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), according to the Pacific Islands ACP Trade Ministers’ Meeting that was held in Fiji this week.
Jordan, Argentina discuss FTA
23-Oct-2008 Jordan Times
His Majesty King Abdullah and Argentinean President Cristina Kirchner on Wednesday discussed prospects for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries. They said that Jordan’s framework deal with MERCOSUR, a regional trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, paves way for the FTA with Argentina.
China, Singapore sign free trade pact
23-Oct-2008
China and Singapore on Thursday signed a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) ahead of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to be held in Beijing on October 24-25.
Global trade - Free for a wealthy few, costly for many
23-Oct-2008 Seattle Medium
I have seen first-hand the effects of “free trade” in several countries, and it is not the fairy tale that the mainstream politicians would have us believe. I have seen men, women and children working 20 hours a day in deplorable conditions to keep up with the influx of foreign goods. I have seen farmers who used to trade corn for clothes struggle because they do not have the cash to participate in the new “free” economy.
Kenyan jobs on the line as regional trading blocs warm up to merger
23-Oct-2008
The pact signed on Wednesday could hasten the proposed African Economic Community but may come too soon, especially for Kenyan manufacturers.
Region’s Ministers call for free trade
23-Oct-2008
The first Tripartite Comesa-EAC-SADC Council of Ministers that opened on Monday at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort seeks the summit of heads of state and governments to endorse the creation of a free trade area which will cut across the three Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and institutionalise it by giving it a legal underpinning.
Quebec herbicide ban violates NAFTA, pesticide maker alleges
23-Oct-2008 CBC
Dow AgroSciences, maker of the commonly used herbicide ingredient 2,4-D, is challenging the Quebec government under the North American Free Trade Agreement for banning its product.