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The Fairtrade Foundation pointed out this YouTube video of Saturday's Put People First march. The march gathered over 35,000 people from a variety of organizations to come together to send a clear message to the world leaders meeting at the upcoming G20 summit that business as usual is no longer going to work.

The video is a birds-eye view of the march where you can see the Fairtrade Foundation's bananas in the center-right of the screen, where they eventually join in on the march. The video also lets you hear a powerful speech outlining the goals and message of the rally.

According to the Put People First team, an exciting alliance has been born and the march is not the end of the campaign, but only the beginning to keep pressure on world leaders to find a fair and sustainable way out of the recession.

Young World Vision supporters from Luton and Milton Keynes  Photo: PA

While you're egging on world leaders going to the G20 summit through an online campaign, dozens of groups worldwide are taking it to the streets to encourage these leaders to take a fresh approach to global trade by putting people first.

The 'Put People First' coalition is comprised of trade unions, environmentalists, faith groups, developmental charities and several other organizations who are demanding that the leaders at the upcoming G20 summit find a 'fair and sustainable route out of the recession' that is an alternative to the unregulated free market system that has ultimately led to the current crisis.

Fair Trade groups such as Divine, Traidcraft, Cafedirect and the Fairtrade Foundation marched alongside the Put People First coalition on March 28th in favor of trade justice and in the name of the 450 million small farmers across the planet who are feeling the devastating effects of the climate, economic and food crises plaguing the developing world. Small farmers have been hit hard by the crises, but it must be pointed out that small farmers also hold the key to tackling these crises if only world leaders would listen and lend their support. The Fairtrade Foundation's Barbara Crowther points out,

The current crisis poses many new threats to the livelihoods of the poorest people on the planet. But they also offer an unprecedented opportunity for world leaders to develop a fresh approach to the global trading system, prioritising justice and equity, including social and environmental standards, and build new trade relationships,  fit to deal with the current financial, food and climate crises we now face. A new approach to global trade must put poor people and the planet first, strengthening local and regional supply chains, and ensuring cooperation in fairer global trade at an international level.

Protests are said to continue leading to the G20 summit that is coming up on April 2nd. The people will not back down until voices are heard and (fair) trade is made a top issue of concern during the meeting. For those who want to stay in the know about the G20 summit, there is the G20Voice project, which is comprised of 50 of the world's most influencial bloggers who will be following the summit closely and lending their thoughts.

Public Radio International covered the Cadbury's news about going Fair Trade and even posted a slideshow of the report. The report includes an interview with a Ghanaian cocoa farmer and ends with talks of the possibility of Cadbury expanding their Fair Trade commitment. I love PRI.

The new US Trade Representative, Ambassador Ron Kirk was sworn in by Vice-President Joe Biden this past Friday. As President Obama's chief trade negotiator, Ambassador Kirk declared at that the U.S. needs a new trade policy,

We have to squarely face this challenge and create a new trade agenda that the public believes works for America's families, is transparent and reflects our basic values. [but] the United States will not retreat from the global marketplace nor our special role of leadership in shaping that policy.

In saying that, a coalition of businesses and development groups, including Oxfam America reminded Kirk that while making his trade negotiations, he must not forget the potential impact those decisions have on the developing world.

During this difficult period for economies around the world, it is necessary to recognize that the economic welfare of Americans is inextricably linked with the well-being of men, women, and children across the globe.

Now that Ambassador Kirk is officially in office, that while he shows his support for free and open trade, he should be reminded that the trade also needs to be fair and he must live up to the words of him and President Obama who have time and again insisted that trade agreements should have high environmental and protect labor and union rights not only in the United States, but also in our trading partner nations.

[photo: AP Photo / Pablo Martinez Monsivais]

The United States Department of Commerce deals with business and industry with the mission of fostering, promoting, and developing the foreign and domestic commerce of the United States. President Obama's new pick for the post of Secretary of Commerce is former governor of Washington, Gary Locke, who had his hearing before the Senate's Commerce Committee yesterday.

What is interesting about yesterday's hearing was when asked about existing US trade pacts, Locke stated,

More than free trade, though, I believe in fair trade. That means we must enforce our trade agreement and place a high value on environmental, labor and safety standards and failure to do so is putting American workers at a competitive disadvantage.

Very refreshing to hear language like this coming from those who have influence over US trade pacts. My jaw dropped a little when I heard it on the radio and I might have given a little air high-five. Let's hope that once the Senate confirms him and he assumes the post that he will keep that 'fair trade' language in his future negotiations and reform existing free trade agreements. Not only will American workers benefit, but workers in other countries will be able to as well.

I happily found myself having a celebratory meal of pupusas and platanos on Monday in honor of the results of the El Salvadoran elections. After 20 years of right-wing rule, leftist party FMLN (Frente Farabundo Marti de Liberacion Nacional) have finally won the presidency. Mauricio Funes became the first leftist president of El Salvador on Sunday, following the trend of several other Latin American countries who have also elected leftist governments this decade. According to the NY Times, and echoed by many fair trade advocates indicate that,

[T]he left’s success is a response to disappointment with the failure of free-market policies promoted by Washington in the 1990s to generate economic growth and reduce the region’s yawning inequality.

Mauricio Funes and the FMLN are seen as a fair trade party who have been staunch opponents of the Central American Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA. The victory of FMLN in El Salvador is a victory for fair trade policies as we will see the voice of those who have been negatively affected by free trade policies finally speak up and see to it that the economic and trading system starts to benefit the people and the environment. According to the Stop CAFTA Coalition, which include several Latin American countries have voiced their concern toward the new Obama Administration and Democratic Congress and what they hope to accomplish together,

Not only should the Democratic Congress reject pending agreements such as the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, but the party in power should take this opportunity to introduce a new trade policy based on human rights, and economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Elliott Jones at the Guatemala Human Rights Commission, who has been investigating the negative effects of CAFTA has stated,

The articles included in the report show that the negative impacts of CAFTA in these countries are not simply ‘growing pains,’ or the inevitable transitional problems associated with altering a country’s economic system; they are fundamental flaws in the economic theory that drives CAFTA and will likely not improve.

Let us hope that the victory in El Salvador will start to see an end to CAFTA policies and the US government can work with Latin American governments to institute a trade policy that will see growth in a fair and healthy way. As Mauricio Funes' campaign slogan said, 'hope is born' and this can be the beginning of a new era.

The Dallas Morning News is quicker than my blogging abilities. Right after I put up my post about former Dallas Mayor, Ron Kirk's upcoming vote by the Senate Finance Committee for the post of U.S. Trade Representative, the news was released that the Senate panel OK'd him.

The next step for Ron Kirk is the full confirmation of the Senate. The date for that vote has yet to be announced. Developing!

Today, the Senate Finance Committee is set to vote on President Obama's nomination of former Dallas Mayor, Ron Kirk for the post of U.S. trade representative. The folks over at Public Trade Citizen's Global Trade Watch liveblogged Ron Kirk's hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Monday. From the looks of it, Ron Kirk is expected to win the approval of Senate as the next USTR, but what's his story and what is he bringing to the table?

A main point about about Ron Kirk that leaves fair trade policy advocates a bit skeptical is his past support for NAFTA and China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR). It is also said that he is supported by the business community for being an advocate of expanded trade. On the other hand, during his race for a Senate seat in 2002, he was a vocal opponent to Fast Track, which gives the executive branch the authority to negotiate foreign trade agreements without first consulting Congress. President Obama has talked about getting rid of Fast Track to institute a policy that gives Congress more say in trade decisions to ensure that the decisions made have the public's interest in mind.

With all that said, as the next U.S. Trade Representative, Ron Kirk is going to have to adopt the mandate of 'change' that President Obama and his administration have extolled. Kirk has already hinted of his willingness for change in a 2008 CNN interview when he stated,

We're never going to have a more responsible trade policy if we don't change the climate in Washington.

During the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Monday, he also proclaimed that he was going to put more emphasis on labor and environmental issues in trade agreements. So, maybe he should push President Obama to re-negotiate NAFTA instead of postponing those talks. Many Americans and many of those in Congress want to see reform of our current free-trade and globalization model because it is clearly not working for American workers and is leaving others in the world to struggle for survival. Lori Wallach at Public Citizen outlines the future role of Ron Kirk really well and what to expect from our next USTR. Do give it a read.

Whether Ron Kirk is a good choice for trade representative will be determined by his ability to deliver on President Obama's pledges to the American public to create a new trade and globalization policy that benefits more Americans.

Whatever Kirk's past views on various trade policies, his future course of action must reflect the powerful expectations for change created by Obama's trade reform pledges. His actions must also reflect the new political realities created by congressional elections that resulted in 71 House and Senate supporters of the trade status quo being replaced by those who were elected campaigning for a new approach.

[photo: www.blackenterprise.com]

It looks like over 380,000 thousand of you participated in this year's Fairtrade Fortnight 'Go Bananas' campaign, making it the biggest banana-eating event. For those that participated, the Fairtrade Foundation is encouraging all to submit their photos and share their banana fun. During the campaign, It looks like the offices of the Fairtrade Foundation were conducting business as usual. I know how that goes. Browse the rest of the photos and if you have a favorite photo from Fairtrade Fortnight, you can enter it to win a prize.

[photo: Fairtrade Foundation]

Since Cadbury announced their commitment to Fair Trade, Fair Traders have been chattering about the momentous occassion. From the Fairtrade Foundation to Divine Chocolate, the excitement is high. Now two leading Fair Trade advocates, Global Exchange and the International Labor Rights Forum have chimed in their congratulations.

Executive Director of the International Labor Rights Forum, Bama Athreya says,

We congratulate Cadbury on this important announcement.  We hope that Cadbury's increasing commitment to Fair Trade will contribute to better living and working conditions for cocoa farmers throughout West Africa.  Most importantly, Cadbury can serve as a model to major US-based chocolate companies.  Their leadership demonstrates that committing to Fair Trade certified cocoa for the mass market is indeed possible.

Fair Trade Campaign Director at Global Exchange, Adrienne Fitch-Frankel added,

Cadbury's Fair Trade announcement is an important victory for cocoa farmers, chocolate lovers, and grassroots Fair Trade advocates in the UK and around the world.  We hope that Cadbury will extend its commitment to Fair Trade to all of its cocoa products sold in the UK and worldwide.  After the remarkable leadership of 100% Fair Trade certified chocolate companies like Equal Exchange, Divine, and Alter Eco, Cadbury has proven that embracing Fair Trade is also both feasible and profitable for the major international chocolate brands.  Cadbury's is the first domino in the domino effect of major chocolate companies going Fair Trade.  The tens of thousands of grassroots Fair Trade activists we work with, from young children to grandparents, are eagerly awaiting the day that we will savor our first Fair Trade certified Hershey's bar, package of M&Ms, or World's Finest Chocolate bar.

Both Global Exchange and ILRF have been working for years on getting major U.S. chocolate companies to purchase Fair Trade Certified cocoa, so Cadbury's announcement shows that progress is possibility.

For more information on both organization's cocoa campaign efforts, check out their sites [Global Exchange & ILRF] and also see how you can get involved.