Traders of the Lost Ark

1. Traders of the Lost Ark a presentation by Annika W. & Annica E.

2. Structure • 1. Summary • 2. Institutions of the global economy • 2.1 The WTO • 3. Important people in the WTO • 4. Criticism and reproaches • 5. Are the reproaches entitled? • 6. Main aspects We are proud to present the article „Traders of the Lost Ark“ from our “Spiegel“ special on the pages 114-119. Our presentation will deal with following points:

3. Summary • We get to know some of the people who work at the WTO • It is explained what the WTO is and what it does • The problems that are going with the work on its subject • How the people react to the WTO‘s decisions

4. Important Institutions Institutions of the global economy … International Monetary Fund (IMF) Supervises the member states‘ exchange rate policies Offers financial aid Provides loans to implement fiscal and institutional reforms in crisis regions. World Bank Grants loans for major projects | Development aid programs Secures private investors against non-commercial risks World Trade Organization (WTO) Government of global economy High court of trade disputes Further information follows.

5. World Trade Organization • Founded : 1995 as the successor of GATT | „Agreement“ • Members : 151 countries • 26 divisions, 608 employees • Chairman : Director-General Pascal Lamy (France) • Headquarters : WTO Secretariat, Geneva • Spanish, English and French → official languages • Functions : Offers the rules of trade and the platform on which disputes can be settled • Supervises its members states‘ trade policies • Deals with : Agriculture, textiles, services and patents.

6. Tasks • Fight poverty → open borders mean low or even no taxes →dropping of tariffs • Fair and honest democracy • Defend human rights for creating a better world • Has to prevent the smaller and poorer countries from “sinking into oblivion“ • The WTO shall strive to promote fairness worldwide • Offers the platform for disputes about global economy • Offers the rules of trade and commerce • Regulating labor markets, imports – exports

7. Goals A non-discriminatory trade system in which all countries have the same rights. Want to be a kind of game in which all nations can be winners. Democracy (appendages existing, but critique as well)

8. Criticism • Democracy only a fiction • Selfishness • Imbalance between rich and poor countries • Blocks itself – no development • Too much talk, less accomplishments Further information follows later.

9. The employees • Workaholics • Many people at the WTO are divorced or separated because the job costs much time • Highly intelligent • Well educated • Children of diplomats who have grewn up all over the world • Most of them were raised at least bilingual • Master‘s in economics, or they have a law degree

10. Important People in the WTO • Moussa B. Nebie • Keith Rockwell • Rudolf Adlung • Doaa Abdel-Motaal • Pascal Lamy

11. Moussa B. Nebie • Functuates as an ambassador • Is from Burkina Faso • Has meetings with african colleagues • Writes reports • Prevents thecotton-coalition of Mali Chad, Burkina Faso from falling apart. • He is responsible of the relationship between the African countries and the U.S..

12. Keith Rockwell • Born in Boston 1958 • Preacher‘ s son • Grew up in New York and New England • WTO spokesman • Rockwell:“Proof of how well we function!“

13. Rudolf Adlung • Counselor, Trade in Service Division • Once he worked in the German Ministry of Economics Affairs • then moved to Geneva in 1990 • He is constantly advising governments in Cuba, Singapore and Africa • His topic is the liberalization of services

14. Doaa Abdel-Motaal • Comes from Egypt but was born in Belgium • She grew up in India, China, Japan, Sri Lanka and on the Philippines • She got to Cambridge University by the WTO talent-seekers when she was 23

15. Pascal Lamy • Is the new director general • His plans: „ regulate, control, balance, redistribute“ • He tried to lead the negotiations in Cancún on the side of the EU

16. Criticism and Reproaches • Example: American cotton-farmers get subsidies • The cotton-farmers in Burkina Faso cannot compete with them • Approximately 3 million people in Burkina Faso have to live from the cotton they own • All countries are supposed to have the same rights but it seems that the U.S. dominate • Only WTO-people profite • Developed countries benefit more than poor countries • Talk about open markets does not include the poorer countries - Imbalance

17. Everything is about money and power - Not a trace of creating a better world • The WTO changes rules when a poor country gains power • The rule that all countries should be equal is a fiction - No democracy • Oxfom: “The WTO doesn‘t work, it just reinforces!“ • Blocks itself – no development : • Too much talk – less accomplishments (Example)

18. Are the reproaches entitled? • Nothing gets verified without consensus • Every decision has to be made unanimously • The WTO offers the rules of trade and commerce, and this helps to improve the relationships between the countries • The WTO compares itself with a bazaar where every country can deal with every other country • The WTO‘s budget is not really big(110 millions a year) • The director general has nearly no authority and no real power

19. There are approximately 1000 discussions in the WTO only in 1 year! • Even the United States submits in the international courts • The WTO is definitely political because of all the new agreements that were introduced • These agreements help smaller countries to enter the WTO • The WTO can just improve the situation • There is seldom a simple solution for the WTO‘s problems

20. Main aspects • What does the WTO want to be? • What is the reality? • What is to be criticized? • Conclusion

21. Thank you for listening! This is the end of our presentation