Activists stage protests as UNCTAD talks remain guarded secret

As a UN trade meeting drew to a close, the outcome of the six-day talks remained a closely-guarded secret among the 70 negotiators.

Not even loud protests by angry members of the civil society and intense prodding by a dedicated battalion of journalists drew a word from the current United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) President, Amina Mohammed on the outcome.

The civil society took to the streets decrying what they said was an attempt by developed countries to give poor countries the shorter end of the stick.

But all attempts to get Amina, who also doubles up as Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs International Trade, hit a dead-well.

Amina’s response to journalists wanting to know what exactly happened behind those high walls were as dodgy as they were abstract.

“A lot of efforts were made last night to reach consensus on an outcome document,” she explained, adding that those efforts were extended to the morning as the negotiators raced against time to craft an amicable conclusion to the Nairobi talk.

The document was ready, she added. “We have a document that all of us will be extremely proud of,” reckoned Amina who will serve as president until the next meeting.

Meanwhile, the civil society whose frustrations with the talks saw them take to the streets, protested what they saw as an attempt by some ‘powerful forces’ to change the wording of the outcome.

They staged a protest against rich nations, claiming they were against an outcome that was favourable to developing countries, Kenya included. Top on their concerns was that the outcome of the UNCTAD talks would result in a grossly-watered down report.

“We might not have any resolution that takes forward the interest of the poor nations from this meeting,” said Alvin Mosioma, the executive director of Tax Justice Network- Africa.

He added that developing nations had been cheated in the negotiations as central issues that have cost African nations heavily including tax evasion had not been addressed.

A day before the Deputy Executive Director of Tax Justice Network Africa, Jason Braganza, had warned of an attempt to dilute the definition of illicit financial flows, which would allow multinational corporations and tax havens much leeway in denying poor countries billions in income.

Africa is estimated to lose about $50 billion annually to illicit financial flows.