“EPAs Will Not Make Poverty History”

Posted: 6 February 2007

World Social Forum participants in Africa critique economic proposals for free trade with Europe.

The nature of true economic partnership was the focus of the World Social Forum—a peoples’ alternative to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland—held in Nairobi, Kenya in January. Staging the event in Africa centered attention on proposed Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), the free-trade agreements between the European Union and 77 countries in the Africa, Pacific and Caribbean. EPAs dominated the workshops presented at the WSF, whose topics ranged from food sovereignty and regional economic integration, to gender and women’s rights. All were organized to shed light on the negative impacts of EPAs on the lives and livelihoods of Africans, and to propose alternatives.

While the European Union promotes the EPAs as pro-development, Africans were more skeptical. The economic effects on farmers were a dominant concern, as agriculture constitutes 70 percent of the jobs in Africa. “EPAs will not make poverty history nor put money in [our] governments’ hands to help our communities,” said Peter Ocola, a Kenyan farmer, speaking at a press conference organized by the Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD) and Oxfam. Another farmer from Kenya, Esther Bett, expressed her concern over the potential consequences of liberalized markets on her life and those of other farmers. “Our goods, produced with our sweat, must compete with goods produced with European machines,” she stated.

Activities designed to counter the EPA proposals culminated in a Stop EPA march and demonstration on January 24th that began at Nairobi’s famed Uhuru Park and ended at the European Commission headquarters, where demonstrators handed over 30,000 signatures protesting the agreements to EC’s head of delegation in Nairobi, Eric van der Liden. Thousands gathered outside the Commission passionately exclaiming their concerns and frustrations. “Yes to food sovereignty and no to EPAs!” shouted Helen Diouf, a delegate from Senegal. One protester captured the general sentiment of the marchers, saying, “If EPAs will give employment for our children, and better livelihoods, then give them to us. Otherwise you can keep them.”

Oxfam staff were present at the World Social Forum, and the agency supported the participation of three delegates from West Africa who helped organize workshops on EPAs. This is part of a program to provided financial and technical support for popular mobilization activities such as peace marches, discussions, and petition gathering throughout the West Africa region related to Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign.