It is hard to believe that another year has gone by for it seems only yesterday when we were wondering whether we will make it to the end of the year. But there we are, 2009 is gone and we wonder if we will make it to the end of 2010. As they say, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift that’s why they call it the present! We look forward to each gift and hope to make the most of the present.

 We came back from Copenhagen Climate Conference towards the end of last year with a sense of disappointment. The Conference ended in confusion against the background of an exclusive meeting by leaders of 26 countries. The powerful countries in this group hoped that the group of 26 would reach an agreement and then push the Conference of Parties (COP) with its over 190 members to endorse it.  It is from that meeting that the so-called Copenhagen Accord emanated from. 

Most developing countries were angry with this secretive meeting leading to the accord being “noted” rather than adopted. What this means is that there is no conference deal that was adopted.  If a document is noted, it means that it has neutral status, in other words, the issue of whether the document is seen in positive or negative light does not arise. An Accord that is taken note of is not a treaty to be signed or agreed to, it merely means the existence of the Accord is recognised without taking an opinion on it. Climate will continue to be on the world agenda much more this year as there will be pressure to have some results by the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) scheduled for Mexico from 29 November to 10 December 2010.

At EJN we will continue to ask the difficult and uncomfortable questions about economic justice issues in 2010. It is right that we ask these questions not least because the world today is at a turning point as it struggles under the weight of multiple systemic crises. Although the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is overflowing with natural resources, most people in the region are mired in poverty.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that questioning is the key to wisdom. Indeed the world’s greatest minds have an unquenchable curiosity. The story is told of how Nobel Prize winner for physics, Isidor Isaac Rabi was asked to explain his achievements. He said: “When we got out of school, all the mothers would ask their children what they had learned that day. My mother would inquire instead, “What did you ask today in class?” It seems right that EJN will continue to ask the questions: “Why are there so many poor people in a world that is richer than before? Who owns what? How do they come to own what they own? What is the legitimacy of debts in our countries? We will ask these questions in our four programme areas of Debt and Finance; Food and Agriculture; Trade and Development; and SADC Policy Advocacy.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

The right to food is a human right not least because food is essential to life. It is important therefore that food be accessible to everyone rather than those just with money. Agriculture is therefore critical as it is a means to sustainable livelihoods and employment. Developing countries have a range of policy instruments that try to address food security and farmer livelihoods issues, but the design and implementation of certain aspects of the Agreement on Agriculture especially tariffs, domestic support and export subsidies have curtailed some of these policy choices. In the area of food and agriculture EJN will continue its Right to food campaign. Progress towards increased participation in Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance global food campaign is an important part of this work. EJN’s approach in the area of food security and sovereignty will therefore be informed by EAA’s approach: “which resonates with our biblical understandings of justice that all people have access to the means and ability to procure sufficient and nutritious food for themselves without sacrificing other fundamental rights such as housing, education and health.” 

TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT

The world trade regime is largely shaped by the interests of rich countries while the concerns of poor countries in their search for development are neglected. Trade should be seen not as an end in itself but as a means to achieve development. The current imbalances promote unsustainable development with disastrous consequences especially on the lives of women and men in Africa. Trade is a powerful force of economic growth, but while economic growth is important it is not enough for sustainable human development.  Under the trade and development theme EJN will continue monitor and assess negotiations and agreements at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and their impact on poor people especially in the SADC Region. EJN will also continue its work on the EU ACP Economic Partnership negotiations and interim agreements.

DEBT AND FINANCE: Ecological Debt, Extractive Industries and Climate Change

EJN seeks to build a strong campaign and profile on extractive industries, ecological debt and climate change advocacy. Huge debt burdens can in themselves contribute to climate change and wider environmental destruction. The requirement to pay out huge amounts in ‘hard’ foreign currencies to service debts encourages the depletion of natural resources. To earn the necessary ‘hard’ currency, poor countries have to increase exports of cash crops like timber or coffee, or of natural resources like oil and gas; sometimes intensification of these industries is even made a requirement of loans or debt relief from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. But intensive agriculture and mining often drive deforestation, and deforestation in itself is a huge driver of rising carbon emissions. Low income countries are paying around US$40 billion a year, at the expense of their own people’s needs, while the debt owed to them by rich countries as a result of their climate change – a far greater calculation goes unpaid. Climate change is maybe one of the most obvious examples of ecological debt.

POLICY ADVOCACY WITH SADC

This project is part of EJN’s programme of policy advocacy to promote pro-poor policy formulation in the SADC region. An aspect of this programme is the Informal Cross Border Trading (ICBT) in the SADC Region where EJN will come up with a set of tools and support ICBT programme activities for the benefit of cross border traders. EJN will continue work in the ICBT area with the intention of empowering cross border traders and their associations. A recurring point is that traders are treated with suspicion and not taken seriously; they are viewed as people who are bent on breaking the law. It is important that Informal Cross Border Trading be put on the SADC agenda with a view of influencing policy so that it is much friendlier to ICBT. EJN will continue to share its ICBT research with civil society organizations and government officials in SADC. The idea is to build a groundswell of opinion that can push for laws that are friendly to the informal cross border trade sector in SADC. EJN will continue to strengthen its relationship with the SADC Council of NGO (SADC CNGO) and Southern African Trade Union Coordinating Council (SATUCC) with a view towards strategizing on SADC engagement issues. Together with these apex organizations, EJN will assist with the organizing of the annual SADC Civil Society Forum NGO Forum.  EJN will support the establishment of the SADC Poverty and Development Observatory to monitor how poverty issues are being addressed in SADC.

MOURNING WITH HAITI

We would like to express our sincere condolences and prayers to the families in Haiti for the loss of their loved ones. We have seen the tragedy caused by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. We express our deepest solidarity to the people of Haiti and pray that they remain strong even as they deal with their grief. We ask the international community to do everything they can to assist the people of Haiti deal with these challenging times.  We are therefore disappointed that the IMF will provide US$100 Million in Emergency Assistance to Haiti under the Extended Credit Facility. To be sure, Haiti desperately needs the money but we believe it is insensitive for the IMF to seek to finance disaster relief through a loan. We call on international financial institutions and governments to unreservedly cancel Haiti’s debt.