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A TOP
German social democrat called on the Philippines and
Southeast Asian economies to ensure social justice and
economic security to their people while engaging with
open markets and a multilateral-trading system.
Dr. Anke
Fuchs, chairman of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES),
noted that the international economic and financial
system is an actual source of conflict for many
economies gearing to take part in the
multilateral-trading system.
She said
that economic opening and integration has brought
advantages to people and countries in Asia but has
created permanent imbalance to the current economic
world order.
“It is
through fair access to markets and equitable policy
regimes that economies and societies can develop. We
accept [open] markets but are firm in our belief that
they need to be embedded and regulated to serve the
people,” said Fuchs during her keynote address at the
globalization forum hosted by FES Manila over the
weekend.
Fuchs
said that recent developments in the international
market show the vital need for more transparency and the
regulation of the international financial system.
“Here
again, a rules-based multilateral approach will provide
the greatest benefits for participating countries—as
long as it is democratic and includes economic, social
and ecological sustainability, human rights and the
rights of working people,” said Fuchs.
The
Philippines, along with member-countries of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), are
currently negotiating free-trade agreements with
various stronger economies like Japan, South Korea and
China, as well as the European Union (EU).
The
Philippines and other Asean members are also pushing for
a long-term Asia Pacific-Free Trade Agreement among the
21 member-countries of the Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation.
Fuchs,
who spoke to an audience of political leaders, top
economists, diplomats and civil-society groups during
the
FES forum, said that
FES has
elevated the shaping of globalization to one of its
three strategic objectives, namely, peace and security,
the social dimension of (economic) globalization, and
democracy promotion.
“It is
our firm belief that we need to combine economic growth
and development with social progress and social
justice,” she said. ”We cannot afford to leave a
significant part of our own and of the world population
behind, outside of enjoying the most basic human rights.
This does not only violate our sense for justice—it is
also a recipe for instability, conflict and social
disintegration.”
Fuchs
said the Southeast Asian region should strengthen the
policy of dialogue in dealing with the rising world
powers and reclusive countries such as Burma/Myanmar.
“We also
want to open doors for communication and exchange of
views, even in reclusive countries such as
Myanmar.
This does not translate into straying from our
principles. Engagements such as these need to be firm on
nonnegotiable values and principles but still offer
perspectives,” said Fuchs.
Meanwhile, she said the G8 economies that include
Germany as well as the financial institutions World
Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development
Bank now seriously take the need to integrate the
concept of decent work and in particular, the Core Labor
Standards in creating prosperity to world economies. |
