Brussels-based Fair Trade Advocacy Office and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) are joining forces to improve the living and working conditions of artisans, workers and smallholder farmers and producers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The two signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 19 October in Madrid.
The partnership will focus on "promoting a fair and equitable distribution of benefits among value chain actors, especially workers, artisans, smallholder producers and micro, medium and small enterprises," an UNCTAD press release said.Brussels-based Fair Trade Advocacy Office and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) are joining forces to improve the living and working conditions of artisans, workers and smallholder farmers and producers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The two signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 19 October in Madrid.#
"From day one, our belief was that the best way to help developing countries grow should come not simply from distributing aid, but through encouraging their trade," said UNCTAD deputy secretary general Isabelle Durant.
Durant and executive director of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office Sergi Corbalán were in the Spanish capital attending the annual International Fair Trade Towns Conference.
According to Corbalán, the long-term answer is not to raise certification, but to change the system so that all trade is fair. "Our ultimate goal is to get rid of fair trade labels" he said.
"We want all farmers to receive a decent price. We want all cooperatives to be strong and able to negotiate the terms of trade. If there's eventually no need for fair trade labels anymore then it's very good news," Corbalán added. (DS)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India
20240830145952.gif)
.jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "UBM China (Shanghai)")
-Ltd..jpg?tr=w-120,h-60,c-at_max,cm-pad_resize,bg-ffffff "Thermore (Far East) Ltd.")
