Jane Hutt MS, Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Today, more than 100 people will celebrate the excellent work, which has been jointly delivered between organisations in Wales and Africa.
Hub Cymru Africa organised this celebration in the Senedd to bring this community of people and organisations together, to exchange and share valuable learning and experiences, making the Wales-Africa partnerships such a success.
Fair Trade Wales is an important part of the Hub Cymru Africa partnership. Wales became the first Fair Trade Nation in the world in 2008. Over the last 12 months, Fair Trade Wales has worked with stakeholders, the Welsh Government, Scottish Fair Trade Forum and the Scottish Government to refresh the Fair Trade Nation criteria to reflect the many changes in the world.
The refreshed criteria determines that a Fair Trade Nation is one where:
- There is widespread awareness of fair trade
- There is significant engagement with fair trade across different sectors of society
- There is consumption and production of FAIRTRADE products
- There is political support and engagement with fair trade
- Inequalities in global trade and society are challenged by fair trade.
We will now be measuring levels of awareness, engagement with campaigns, consumption and production of FAIRTRADE goods, political engagement with the issue and engagement with wider trade justice issues to better reflect a world which has changed so much since 2008.
In Wales, we believe in equality for everyone, that everyone has fundamental human rights, at home and abroad. Fair trade is vital to this belief, as it recognises that we want to work with producers and people in supply chains as equals to create partnerships with. This is why we continue to promote and support the Fair Trade agenda by supporting work with Fair Trade Wales, and also by working with coffee farmers in the Mount Elgon area of Uganda through the Jenipher’s Coffi project.
The Well-being of Future Generations Act requires us to demonstrate how to be a globally responsible nation, and Fair Trade is a substantial example of how we do this. It is not just about government action, but also about individuals and groups making choices and raising awareness about Fair Trade.