Madam, - For everyone with an interest in helping to relieve Africa of poverty, July 24th marked a sad turning point. The global free trade talks collapsed, putting the World Trade Organisation's Doha development negotiations on hold. It appears increasingly unlikely that an agreement can be reached on making trade fairer.
At this point, even the most optimistic of observers describe the chances of success as "wafer-thin". From my own experience at Cafédirect, which has been pioneering fair trade for the past 15 years, I know that trading fairly does make a positive impact.
At Cafédirect we ensure that more goes back for the benefit of growers per pack of coffee, tea, or cocoa sold. We pay above Fairtrade minimum prices to all the growers we deal with and we form long-term partnerships with them that help them to develop sustainable businesses.
Cafédirect also reinvests part of its profits into growers' businesses. In 2005, we invested 86 per cent of our operating profit into tailor-made training and development programmes. This enables growers to strengthen their organisations and take control of their lives. By raising incomes and improving health and education in rural sub-Saharan Africa, Cafédirect has been independently credited with making a significant contribution to the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals.
Furthermore, our unique business model means that growers hold shares in the company, sit on the board and have a say in how the business is run. Long-term partnerships and investment will empower African people to generate their own income and help them build an independent economic future.
World leaders continue to disagree, and "real politics" mean that, at best, progress towards fairer trade rules is moving at a snail's pace. Consumers have another option: to make their voice heard and help make trade fairer, so we encourage them to continue to support Fairtrade. - Yours, etc,
PENNY NEWMAN, Chief Executive, Cafédirect, Dublin 6.