Abu Dhabi, March 1, 2024 – Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ) and the People’s Coalition for Fisheries Justice (KIARA) met with the Indonesian Ambassador to Abu Dhabi during the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi. During the meeting, Rahmat Maulana Sidik, Executive Director of Indonesia for Global Justice and Fikerman Saragih, Deputy for Knowledge Management at KIARA were welcomed by Mr. Husin Bagis as the Indonesian Ambassador to Abu Dhabi.
Rahmat Maulana Sidik said that the Indonesian Government must fighting for the sovereignty of the people and prioritize the welfare of the small people on every issue in the 13th MC of WTO negotiations. One of the issues raised was related to concerns about Indonesia’s participation in discussions on investment facilitation for “development” (IFD). Because Indonesia’s involvement in the IFD does not bring any benefits to our country, but only imposes more obligations in reporting foreign investment acceptance mechanisms on various existing regulations in Indonesia to the WTO. Apart from that, Indonesia has also tied itself to various trade and investment agreements (BITs), and there is no correlation with the attraction of foreign investment interest into the country. However, it is actually burdened by the threat of lawsuits from foreign investors through the ISDS (investor state dispute settlement) mechanism.
Maulana further express the importance of Indonesia pushing for the lifting of the e-commerce moratorium or import duties on electronic transmissions. Because so far transnational digital companies operate in various developing countries but are not subject to import duties on electronic transmissions. Now the challenge in negotiations is that developed countries want to extend the moratorium (postponement) of the imposition of e-commerce import duties. However, there was resistance from several developing countries, including India, Indonesia and South Africa, so that the moratorium rule was lifted at the WTO.
On the agricultural issue, Maulana added the importance of pushing for a permanent solution to public stockholding (national food reserves), and having a special safeguards mechanism (SSM) for developing and least developed countries.
Then Maulana conveyed the importance of fisheries subsidies for small fishermen so that they continue and even increase. Because the WTO will prohibit eight types of subsidies for small fishermen, including fuel subsidies, fishermen’s insurance, employee costs, and all subsidies prohibited in Article A.1 of the Draft WTO Fisheries Subsidies Text.
In this case, Fikerman added that there are subsidies for small fishermen which are regulated through Law no. 7 of 2016 concerning Protection and Empowerment of Fishermen, Fish Farmers and Salt Farmers. Where in this law the government is obliged to provide subsidies to small fishermen. These regulations have the potential to be changed if the WTO prohibits eight types of fisheries subsidies. In Law no. 7 of 2016 clearly states that the government is obliged to provide fuel and other energy subsidies, fisheries insurance, life insurance, and establish fish prices that benefit fishermen. So fishermen from developing countries, including Indonesia, have the potential to not be able to get these subsidies as they should. This is dangerous and impacts the lives of millions of small fishermen in Indonesia.
One of the impacts that will be felt is that it can eliminate the profession of small-scale fishermen, which is currently increasingly vulnerable due to various existing dynamics. If this happens, it will be detrimental to Indonesian society more broadly because food security will be disrupted due to the reduction or even disappearance of one of the main actors in the Indonesian fisheries production chain. It is time for Indonesia to become a leader for other developing countries to ensure that fisheries subsidies can be maintained for small fishermen.
Reporter:
Rahmat Maulana Sidik, Executive Director of Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ)
Rahmat.maulana@igj.or.id, Website: www.igj.or.id