WTO MOCK SUMMIT: 2005 - 2011C/O M.M. YUSIF

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO

The WTO Mock Summit started in 2005 and since then it became the most important annual event which students on the campuses of Bayero University, Kano and other interest groups around Kano and beyond are waiting to see. The Freedom Radio Youths parley with media group of the Summit 2011 revealed the interests of the larger Kano Youth Community on the programme.

The Mock Summit is not only a theatre display of ideas about WTO but also of research output by young promising students being trained in leadership and management of complex relations in human society.

In trade relations which the Mock Summit projects, the first three Rounds brought to surface the imbalance in power relations in favour of USA, European Union, Japan and Canada in control of global trade, who manipulate the rules of WTO against the developing nations.

One of their strategies is bureaucratisation of the administration of the organization, lack of democracy in decision-making, etc. Thus, the first three Rounds were crowned with a title "Militarisation of Global Trade Relations".

By the Fourth Round tagged "Senegal 2008" the Mock Summit Group had penetrated into the complex politics under WTO regime and found that there are groupings, re-groupings, and alliances which gradually are building and empowering member countries from the developing world, against domination by the developing countries. So, the outcome of this Round was a challenge of a decision by consensus and demands to review specific provisions of the Uruguay Round Agreement. This Round stands like the Doha Round of the real WTO.

The Fifth Round was tagged "Brazil 2009". The subject was on Agricultural Trade. The WTO Agreement on Agriculture was dissected, examined and debated by all the parties concerned with global agricultural trade. Issues about hunger, starvation, food production as well as subsidies and domestic support given to farmers in Europe and United State of America which negatively affected market for agricultural products from developing countries were discussed and brought to surface, pointing what provisions of the Agreement to be reviewed. It was ended without agreement. Only understanding to carry on with consultation.

Thus, the Sixth Round, a Mini-Ministerial Summit was called Geneva 2010. It was a consultative forum. In middle of global economic recession it addressed the crisis and the Doha Rounds including the possibilities of tackling the Doha issues in face of the global financial crunch. Also the major obstacles to what seems fair trade, and other issues governing international trade under WTO regime were placed on the table and renegotiated, but still the deadlock was never broken. There was understanding to carry on, and consultation to continue.

As another round came – The Seventh Round – Gevena 2011, the General Agreement on Trade in Services came to focus. There is general fear that liberalisation of trade in services is causing difficulties in lives of the people of developing countries. There was open anger of member countries from the developing world to the extent that the Summit stopped in chaos and banging of desk that there was no agreement on anything.

Arrangement has already started for the Eighth Round. We are still looking for which member country will host it. Since Doha, the issues which keep coming is how to make trade to bring development. So, in 2012 we are going to be concerned with "Multilateral Trade and Development: the role of Special and Differential Treatment".

Equally important in the package of the Mock Summit performance is a cultural display to entertain the audience. Started in 2009, was a Samba dance, in 2010 was a drama play on climate change, and 2011 was another cultural play. Also WTO sports competition and M. M. Yusif debate which are expected to continue as annual events are introduced in 2011.

M.M. Yusif

Director WTO Mock Summit

January, 2012