wfn.org | WCC UPDATE: Change trade rules, Christian leaders demand

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World Council of Churches - Update
Contact: + 41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 13/04/2005

CHRISTIAN LEADERS DEMAND CHANGE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE RULES

				     Free photos available, see below

Leaders of several Christian and ecumenical organizations met on 13 April
with representatives of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to request a
change in the international rules and practices that govern trade.

"We demand that our government and the governments of the world change the
international rules and practices that govern trade so that they give
priority to human rights and protection of the environment, and contribute
to the eradication of poverty."

So reads the petition signed by over 265 Christian leaders from all over
the world that an ecumenical delegation handed over to WTO director for
external relations Mr Alain Frank, in a meeting today at the WTO Geneva
headquarters.

As part of the 10-16 April Global Week of Action on Trade, the delegation
presented the petition on behalf of the Trade for People Campaign of the
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA), an alliance of over 90 churches and
Christian organizations worldwide.

Leading the delegation was the World Council of Churches general secretary
Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, who stressed that, for Christians, "trade is not
just a matter of economics but of faith". Since "biblical standards for
economic activity are justice and taking the side of the poor," Kobia
said, "we seek a world where global trade systems give priority to people
who live in poverty."

Also part of the delegation, Rev. Dr Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the
World Alliance of Reformed Churches, emphasized the source of churches'
concern. "Every day, our pastors in towns and villages are accompanying
people suffering as a consequence of trade policies and we want to ensure
that the cries of those people are heard," he said.

Mr Peter Prove, representing the Lutheran World Federation, affirmed that
trade is not an end in itself but is a means for human well-being. "That
is not always understood by trade negotiators and therefore is poorly
expressed in trade agrements," he said.

Brother Yves Soudan, from Franciscans International, highlighted the
Christian faith-rooted meaning of human rights. "What mechanism is in
place at the WTO to ensure that the primacy of human rights is really
respected?" he asked.

Ms Clarissa Balan, from the World Young Women's Christian Association,
highlighted the impact of trade rules on the life of poor women. "Trade
has something to do with whether, at the end of the day, there is food on
the table and children can be sent to school."

In receiving the petition on behalf of the WTO, Mr Frank assured the
ecumenical leaders that their concerns were well known and shared by his
organization. But he also stressed the need to address the petition to
national governments and other UN-related agencies. The WTO "cannot do
more than it is equipped to do," he said. He nevertheless welcomed the
dialogue, and affirmed the need to continue working together.

In welcoming the opportunity to meet with WTO staff, Kobia expressed
respect and appreciation for the organization's mandate, and affirmed that
"life being a totality, what affects one aspect of it affects all others".
While the EAA Trade For People Campaign is targeted at the WTO, ecumenical
organizations are already addressing governments and international
institutions. "We are talking to everybody else," Kobia said.

Free high resolution pictures of the meeting are available at:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/tradecampaign05.html

For more information on the Global Week of Action, including a media
brief, country and daily listings of events, press contacts for national
campaigns, quotes and more, see
http://www.april2005.org/media

The Trade for People Petition, including a running list of signatures, is
available at
http://www.e-alliance.ch/tradepetition.jsp

Media contact: Sara Speicher +44-1524-727-651 media@e-alliance.ch

This material may be reprinted freely.

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.