James Shikwati
An Open Letter to the People of Kenya:Isolate Extremists, Protest Peacefully, and Save Our Country
IPN Opinion article
People are dying. The economy is faltering. If we wait for much longer, what started as political discontent will assume its own life and there will be no country to govern. Above all, we must safeguard democracy and lives of our fellow Kenyans.
What the have-nots have to have
IPN Opinion article
Here in Canc˙n, Mexico, on the eve of the WTO Ministerial, the European Union has been promoting \"Sustainable Trade.\" Meanwhile, developing countries say they want \"fair trade.\"
Unfortunately their definition of fairness seems to have been borrowed from an English rock star. Poor countries should reject these euphemisms in favour of free trade.
Lethal environmental ethics
IPN Opinion article
It may be based on a noble quest to safeguard our Earth's future. But the 'good science' of ecology leaves many urgent questions unanswered.
Why do developed countries impose their environmental ethics on poor countries that are simply trying to pass through a stage they themselves went through? After taking numerous risks to reach their current economic and technological status, why do they tell poor countries to use no energy, agricultural or pest control technologies that might pose some conceivable risk of environmental harm? Why do they tell poor countries to follow sustainable development doctrines that really mean little or no energy or economic development?
World trade talks collapse
IPN Opinion article
World trade talks, taking place in Canc˙n, Mexico, have broken down due to apparently irreconcilable differences between rich and poor countries.
James Shikwati of Kenya\'s Inter-Region Economic Network told the EUobserver that despite an apparent power shift towards poorer countries, with the emergence of the so-called Group of 21, the status quo gives little reason to rejoice.
\"It\'s hard to celebrate when things have stayed the same,\" he said, \"market access is not improved, harmful subsidies remain in place, and tariffs on processed goods such as chocolate or packaged coffee have not been reduced or removed. Farmers in the developing world will continue to struggle against these trade barriers\".
Country gears for WTO talks
IPN Opinion article
Meanwhile, the Inter Region Economic Network Executive Director, James Shikwati, attributes Africa\'s inability to negotiate at the WTO talks to its heavy reliance on donor aid to fund the various governments basic development programmes.
He said agricultural subsides in the developed countries have denied Africa an opportunity to prosper, while ensuring that it remains dependant on donors.
\"The developed countries have favoured sending donor money to poor countries as a way subsidising their markets,\" he said. He was speaking during the Media launch on freedom to trade campaign held at a Nairobi hotel.
He said African countries need to adopt both long and short-term policies to help boost their negotiating abilities.
He also urged Kenya and other African countries to enhance inter linkages by opening up trade within their respective borders.
Kenya: One Man Faces Much Corruption
IPN Opinion article
A new, democratically elected president will mean little if Mwai Kibaki does not follow through on his pledge to reduce corruption. This also means he must protect property rights, promote the rule of law and encourage free markets. These institutions promote economic activity that leads to growth and development, since people can own and exchange goods without fear of arbitrary expropriation, either by bandits or by the state.
