The world has always been global and has reached its highest stage of development through colonialism, imperialism and capitalism.

We cannot therefore oppose political, economic and social relations between and among countries or blocs of countries in a global context. The major problem with the current form of globalisation is that the rules of trade and engagement are biased toward developed and industrialised countries.

We have seen a situation where, at the World Trade Organisation(WTO), agreement has not been reached for two rounds now on the issue of the agricultural market. This is due to unfair demands being made on developing countries to liberalise their markets, while European countries want to retain protection through subsidies of their farmers.

It is clear to me that African agricultural markets should not be liberalised in the context of deepening poverty, lack of nutrition and food security requirements. In this instance I fundamentally disagree with my own government’s approach and that of the developing world as a bloc. How can they wish to offer liberalisation on agriculture when it is so critical to the basic survival of Africans, vast numbers of whom are poor, unemployed, and even starving?

I understand the need for trade-offs to be made, but this cannot be on a basic need like food, just to satisfy those who have more than enough. The transformation of the WTO, World Bank and the International Monetary Fund must be seen as an international priority to make a paradigm shift in favour of the world’s poor and underdeveloped, and to ensure solidarity as a basis for global trade.

Should these institutions render themselves incapable of transforming, their existing leadership should be removed. They should be replaced with a progressive, representative leadership – who will subscribe to the values of equality, solidarity and social justice in order to arrest poverty, disease, under- development and unemployment.

The Bretton Woods institutions have to take the bulk of the blame historically and currently, for tying developing countries’ governments into continuous debt traps and, in essence, deepening poverty. However African governments themselves must take responsibility for making policy choices that, in certain instances, fully buy into the neo-liberal mantra of these institutions, and do not benefit the masses of their own people. More disturbingly, some line their own pockets and those of their cronies, as opposed to addressing the needs of their citizens.

I must acknowledge the positive developments on my own continent with regard to the establishment of the African Union (AU), and my own government’s role in facilitating peace and democracy across the continent. For without political stability, economic development will remain a myth and poverty and disease will continue.

The strategic alliances of developing countries are going to be critical in ensuring the paradigm shift in global trade I referred to earlier. South Africa’s bilateral relations with Brazil, India and Venezuela are very strategic in repositioning power relations with the European Union and the Americas. The struggle for a new world economic order continues!