The past decades saw the World Bank and IMF taking an increasingly central role in global economic governance. In 1985, both institutions stood at the pinnacle of their power as they administered structural adjustment programs to over 70 developing countries. With the birth of the World Trade Organization in 1995, the unholy trinity of global capitalism was complete.

Parallel to this is a rising tide of discontent. As countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia registered sweeping poverty and soaring multilateral debts, the strategic motive driving these institutions became clear. Far from being the supposed engines of economic growth, the Bretton Woods institutions and the WTO were identified as the primary engines of corporate-driven globalization and of the North’s neoliberal agenda.

With the legitimacy of these institutions in question, the need for change is strongly felt among different quarters. The battle in Seattle, the derailment of the Cancun Ministerial, the uproar during the Asian Financial Crisis, all testimonies of civil society’s clamour for a better world. What are our prospects for the future? What should be the Southern agenda in carving a new world economic order?

• Sarah Anderson
• Megumi Sugihara
• Nancy Alexander
• David Hillman
• Sameer Dossani
• Doug Hellinger
• Ahmed Swapan Mahmud
• Kavaljit Singh
• Sony Kapoor
• Arun Raste
• Oscar Ugarteche
• Oriol Alsina
• Victor Menotti
• Yoko Kitazawa
• Reiko Inoue
• Kevin Gallagher
• Julie de los Reyes
• Aileen Kwa
• Shalmali Guttal
• Walden Bello

SCHEDULE
Dec 14
12 noon to 2 pm	Another Future: Alternatives to the WTO and the Bretton Woods Institutions OWINFS Tent, Victoria Park
3 pm to 6 pm	Close workshop Rosedale Hotel Taurus Room, 33rd Floor
Dec 15
12 noon to 2 pm	Another Future: Alternatives to the WTO and the Bretton Woods Institutions OWINFS Tent, Victoria Park
3 pm to 6 pm	Close workshop Rosedale Hotel Taurus Room, 33rd Floor

 

PROGRAMME
14th December	International Trading System: WTO and TNCs
12:00 -14:00	“Ten Years of WTO: Subordinating Development to Free Trade” Aileen Kwa Research Associate, Focus on the Global South “Transnational Corporations” Sarah Anderson Global Economy Project Director, Institute for Policy Studies Commentators: Walden Bello Director, Focus on the Global South Kavaljit Singh Director, Public Interest Research Centre Victor Menotti Program Director, International Forum on Globalization Arun Raste Director, International Resources for Fairer Trade Kitazawa Yoko Co-president, Pacific Asia Resource Center Inoue Reiko Co-president, Pacific Asia Resource Center
15th December	International Financial System: Debt, World Bank, IMF and CTT
12:00 – 14:00	“Debt Cancellation and a new International Financial Architecture” Oscar Ugarteche Professor, Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru “Cost of Currency Speculation; the Evolving Tobin Tax” David Hillman Coordinator, Tobin Tax Network “World Bank” Nancy Alexander Director, Citizens Network on Essential Services “Can the IMF be Reformed?” Julie de los Reyes Focus on the Global South Commentators: Sameer Dossani Director, 50 Years Is Enough Sony Kapoor Tobin Tax Network Doug Hellinger Executive Director, The Development GAP Ahmed Swapan Mahmud Executive Director, VOICE Shalmali Guttal Focus on the Global South