Development writer and international-negotiations watcher Biraj Swain talks to Leena Meghaney of Medicines Sans Frontiers, Pradeep S Mehta of Consumer Unity Trust Society, political commentator and trade analyst Devinder Sharma and Professor Sachin Chaturvedi of Research and Information Systems for Developing countries of Ministry of External Affairs, government of India, about the upcoming 10th Ministerial of World Trade Orgnisation (WTO) at Nairobi, Kenya. They discuss the agenda on the table, do a status check on the Doha round of trade talks, the Bali Ministerial and India’s pitch and participation, especially the stake for Indian and developing countries’ farmers. They also discuss the secrecy around trade negotiations and the need for parliamentary oversight and sunshine, and conclude with some crystal-ball gazing on the expectations from Nairobi.

For References:

Tenth WTO Ministerial Conference

Research and Information Systems in Developing Countries homepage

CUTS International’s International Trade and Development page

WTO Doha Round issues: Time to pull the plug

Devinder’s Sharma’s blog page

Drawn Up in secret TPP’s text helps big pharma put patents over patients

India Africa Summit: Bringing Foreign Policy Back Home

Obama’s TPP is an assault by big business on fair trade and net neutrality

In snub to US push for new services pact US pulls out of negotiations

Controversial TPP is as much about trade as about foreign policy

Making international trade work for the world’s poorest

Medicines Sans Frontieres homepage