WTO MC6: Whose Trade Organization? When WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy addressed us yesterday at the Inaugural Session of the WTO Sixth Ministerial Conference, he said he was impressed with the outstanding work Hong Kong had done to prepare for the conference. "The facilities, the logistics and most importantly, the hospitality have been quite extraordinary," he said. He noted reaching agreement in the WTO is difficult because it is a bottom-up process. "It takes more time, it is more burdensome and cumbersome, but I am convinced it remains the best way to take decisions that impact directly the lives of billions of people." Difficult as this process may be, he said, "even immensely difficult decisions can be taken in the WTO. What is needed are negotiators that are bold, open-minded and prepared to take some risks." Hong Kong offered to host this conference because the Government recognized that it would become a key staging post to the successful conclusion of the multilateral trade negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda - and it wanted to play its part in the collective effort to realize the round's ambitions. This week we are at a historic juncture, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to alleviate the suffering and pain of poverty and HIV/AIDS for millions of people across the globe. Our actions here; our responses to the challenges confronting our societies will have strong bearing on the very survival and sustainability of mankind. Make Trade Fair! See the Video www.maketradefair.com http://www.wto.org/ Live webcasting: View live and archived webcasting (Internet broadcasting) of the public sessions of the WTO Ministerial Conference from 13 to 18 December 2005. This includes statements from Ministers in the plenary sessions, as well as selected press briefings. In solidarity Connie Constance Georgina Khaendi Walyaro Citron Wood President Oxfam International Youth Parliament (OIYP) Action Partner UNOY Peacebuilders Affiliate Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS East Africa Focal Point XVI International AIDS Conference Scientific Programme Committee Member: Track A National WSIS Subcommittee Youth Representative WSIS Youth Caucus RYNICs (Kenya) National Campaign Coordinator 'youth building a peaceful, equitable and sustainable world' OIYP. --------------------------------- To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre. --------------------------------- To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre.