IS THE CONFLICT IN THE
UKRAINE PARTIALLY ABOUT CONTROL OVER UKRAINE'S VAST AGRICULTURAL SECTOR?
One does not need to be a
rocket scientist to understand why mercenaries of ACADEMI (formerly BLACKWATER)
are heavily involved in the UKRAINE conflict. ACADEMI owner MONSANTO has its
own objectives in EASTERN UKRAINE, namely the arable land and its black soil,
thus the rebels in the east are an obstacle for MONSANTO’S economic ambitions
in the UKRAINE.
Not only do the oligarchs
of the UKRAINE keep their own private armies to enforce their interests. Also
the agro giant MONSANTO has its own private army. MONSANTO has entered the
media limelight because of its controversial business practices regarding genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) and thus has been the focal point of
environmentalists and human rights organizations.
The mercenaries of ACADEMI,
which during the IRAQ war operated under BLACKWATER, and made headlines for alleged
war crimes.
Background
Information: MONSANTO
MONSANTO’S
INCREASING REIGN OVER THE WORLD’S AGRICULTURE WILL SURPASS ANYTHING IMAGINABLE
CORN-SEED SALES IN
BRAZIL, ARGENTINA AND MEXICO HELP MONSANTO WITH RECORD EARNINGS
MILITARY STYLE
TRADE WARS, GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION - MONSANTO
Why does a corporation
such as MONSANTO need a private army some will ask? Scrutinizing the business
model of MONSANTO it quickly becomes clear that maintaining a heavily armed private
army becomes justified. MONSANTO is well known to oppose local interests in
countries of its own interest and subsequent fertile land – grabbing in order
to sow more genetically modified plants and the subsequent patent angle which
causes so much controversy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto
- Roundup Read)
Interesting to note is that
many former CIA operatives and ex US armed forces members are now working for MONSANTO’S
private mercenary service, with the alleged objective to infiltrate NGOs that
are critical of MONSANTO’S business practices in order to discredit the
organization’s management and front men. It is estimated that MONSANTO spends
more than 100,000 dollars a year for these infiltration operations.
With regard to MONSANTO’S
plans in UKRAINE it becomes clear why ACADEMI mercenaries are active in the
region. They’re mission: Encourage an
end to the conflict between KIEV (which MONSANTO supports) and the rebels. The
sooner this is achieved the sooner MONSANTO is able to acquire the large amount of highly arable land which
will guarantee tremendous amounts of profits for the agro giant. With
this potential billion dollar business in mind, investing millions in its
private army is worth the venture.
For more details read:
UKRAINE AND THE WEST
In February 2015 we wrote:
AGRO GIANTS SUCH
AS MONSANTO AND CARGILL GRAB 1.6 MILLION HECTARES OF FERTILE, ARABLE LAND IN
THE UKRAINE
UKRAINE AND THE WEST – IT’S PARTIALLY ABOUT CONTROL
OVER UKRAINE'S VAST
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Executive Summary:
- Agro giants such as MONSANTO and CARGILL grab 1.6 million hectares of fertile, arable land in the UKRAINE
- Most important UKRAINIAN ministries were granted to foreign-born individuals who received UKRAINIAN citizenship
- Takeover of UKRAINIAN economy by the west?
- Move against pro – RUSSIAN interests?
- True objectives of the IMF and the WORLD BANK in the UKRAINE
- Did the ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT between UKRAINE and the EUROPEAN UNION ignited the conflict that ousted YANUKOVYCH?
- The UKRAINIAN agricultural sector has been a prime target for foreign private investment
- Agro giant’s next step: “takeover” of UKRAINE’S infrastructure and SHIPPING
- The EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT and the ARTICLE 404 clause creates an opening to bring GM products into EUROPE
At the same time as the
UNITED STATES, CANADA and the EUROPEAN UNION announced a set of new sanctions
against RUSSIA in mid-December last year, UKRAINE received US$350 million in US
military aid, coming on top of a $1 billion aid package approved by the US
Congress in March 2014.
MOST IMPORTANT UKRAINIAN
MINISTRIES WERE GRANTED TO FOREIGN-BORN INDIVIDUALS WHO RECEIVED UKRAINIAN
CITIZENSHIP
WESTERN governments'
further involvement in the UKRAINE conflict signals their confidence in the
cabinet appointed by the new government earlier in December 2014. This new
government is unique given that three of its most important ministries were
granted to foreign-born individuals who received UKRAINIAN citizenship just
hours before their appointment.
The Ministry of Finance
went to NATALIE JARESKO, a US-born and educated businesswoman who has been
working in UKRAINE since the mid-1990s, overseeing a private equity fund
established by the US government to invest in the country. JARESKO is also the
CEO of HORIZON CAPITAL, an investment firm that administers various WESTERN
investments in the country.
TAKEOVER OF UKRAINIAN
ECONOMY BY THE WEST?
As unusual as it may
seem, this appointment is consistent with what looks more like a takeover of
the UKRAINIAN economy by WESTERN interests.
In two reports -
"The Corporate Takeover of UKRAINIAN Agriculture" and
"Walking on the West
Side: The WORLD BANK and the IMF in the UKRAINE Conflict" - the Oakland
Institute has documented this takeover, particularly in the agricultural
sector.
THE TRUE OBJECTIVES OF
THE IMF AND THE WORLD BANK IN THE UKRAINE
A major factor in the
crisis that led to deadly protests and eventually to president VIKTOR
YANUKOVYCH'S removal from office in February 2014 was his rejection of a
EUROPEAN UNION Association agreement aimed at expanding trade and integrating
UKRAINE with the EU - an agreement that was tied to a US$17 billion loan from
the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
After the president's
departure and the installation of a pro-WESTERN government, the IMF initiated a
reform program that was a condition of its loan with the goal of increasing
private investment in the country.
The package of measures
includes reforming the public provision of water and energy, and, more
important, attempts to address what the WORLD BANK identified as the
“structural roots” of the current economic crisis in UKRAINE, notably the high
cost of doing business in the country.
Background Information:
IMF DOCTRINES AND
ITS GEOPOLITICAL IMPACT
THE UKRAINIAN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR HAS BEEN A PRIME
TARGET FOR FOREIGN PRIVATE INVESTMENT
and is logically seen by the IMF and WORLD BANK as a
priority sector for reform. Both institutions praise the new government's
readiness to follow their advice.
For example, the foreign-driven agricultural reform
roadmap provided to UKRAINE includes facilitating the acquisition of
agricultural land, cutting food and plant regulations and controls, and
reducing corporate taxes and custom duties.
The stakes around UKRAINE'S vast agricultural sector -
the world's third-largest exporter of corn and fifth-largest exporter of wheat
- could not be higher. UKRAINE is known for its ample fields of rich black
soil, and the country boasts more than 32 million hectares of fertile, arable
land - the equivalent of one-third of the entire arable land in the EUROPEAN
UNION.
The maneuvering for control over the country's
agricultural system is a pivotal factor in the struggle that has been taking
place over the last year in the greatest EAST-WEST confrontation since the Cold
War.
Background
Information: ARG and Agriculture
SHARE OF THE
COMMODITY CAKE
INTERNATIONAL AGRO
CORPORATIONS GAIN RECORD EARNINGS IN LATAM AGRO INDUSTRY
AGRO GIANTS SUCH AS MONSANTO AND CARGILL GRAB 1.6
MILLION HECTARES OF FERTILE, ARABLE LAND IN THE UKRAINE
The presence of foreign corporations in UKRAINIAN
agriculture is growing quickly, with more than 1.6 million hectares signed over
to foreign companies for agricultural purposes in recent years. While MONSANTO,
CARGILL, and DUPONT have been in UKRAINE for quite some time, their investments
in the country have grown significantly over the past few years.
CARGILL is involved in the sale of pesticides, seeds
and fertilizers and has recently expanded its agricultural investments to
include grain storage, animal nutrition and a stake in UKRLANDFARMING, the
largest agribusiness in the country.
Similarly, MONSANTO has been in UKRAINE for years but
has doubled the size of its team over the last three years. In March 2014, just
weeks after YANUKOVYCH was deposed, the company invested $140 million in
building a new seed plant in UKRAINE.
DUPONT has also expanded its investments and announced
in June 2013 that it too would be investing in a new seed plant in the country.
NEXT STEP: “TAKEOVER” OF UKRAINE’S INFRASTRUCTURE AND
SHIPPING
WESTERN corporations have not just taken control of
certain profitable agribusinesses and agricultural activities, they have now
initiated a vertical integration of the agricultural sector and extended their
grip on infrastructure and shipping.
For instance, CARGILL now owns at least four grain
elevators and two sunflower seed processing plants used for the production of
sunflower oil. In December 2013, the company bought a “25% +1 share” in a grain
terminal at the BLACK SEA port of NOVOROSSIYSK with a capacity of 3.5 million
tons of grain per year.
All aspects of UKRAINE'S agricultural supply chain -
from the production of seeds and other agricultural inputs to the actual
shipment of commodities out of the country - are thus increasingly controlled
by WESTERN firms.
MOVE AGAINST PRO – RUSSIAN INTERESTS
EUROPEAN institutions and the US government have actively
promoted this expansion. It started with the push for a change of government at
a time when president YANUKOVYCH was seen as pro-RUSSIAN interests. This was
further pushed, starting in February 2014, through the promotion of a
“pro-business” reform agenda, as described by the US Secretary of Commerce
PENNY PRITZKER when she met with Prime Minister ARSENLY YATSENYUK in October
2014.
THE ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN UKRAINE AND THE
EUROPEAN UNION IGNITED THE CONFLICT THAT OUSTED YANUKOVYCH
The EUROPEAN UNION and the UNITED STATES are working
hand in hand in the takeover of UKRAINIAN agriculture. Although UKRAINE does
not allow the production of genetically modified (GM) crops, the ASSOCIATION
AGREEMENT between UKRAINE and the EUROPEAN UNION, which ignited the conflict
that ousted YANUKOVYCH, includes a clause (Article 404) that commits both
parties to cooperate to “extend the use of biotechnologies” within the country.
(MONSANTO has been trying to get a foothold regarding GM products in EUROPE for
some time now)
THE EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT AND THE ARTICLE 404
CLAUSE CREATES AND OPENING TO BRING GM PRODUCTS INTO EUROPE
This clause is surprising given that most EUROPEAN
consumers reject GM crops. However, it creates an opening to bring GM products
into EUROPE, an opportunity sought after by large agro-seed companies such as
MONSANTO.
Background
Information: MONSANTO’S BUSINESS PRACTICES
EU SUCCUMBS TO
U.S. PRESSURE ON GM CONTAMINATION
INDUSTRY SPENT
OVER HALF A BILLION LOBBYING FOR PRO-GMO POLICIES IN PAST DECADE.
MONSANTO PROFIT,
POWER AND GEOPOLITICS
Opening up UKRAINE to the cultivation of GM crops
would go against the will of EUROPEAN citizens, and it is unclear how the
change would benefit UKRAINIANS.
It is similarly unclear how UKRAINIANS will benefit
from this wave of foreign investment in their agriculture, and what impact
these investments will have on the seven million local farmers.
Once they eventually look away from the conflict in
the EASTERN "pro-RUSSIAN" part of the country, UKRAINIANS may wonder
what remains of their country's ability to control its food supply and manage
the economy to their own benefit.
As for US and European citizens, will they eventually
awaken from the headlines and grand rhetoric about RUSSIAN aggression and human
rights abuses and question their governments' involvement in the UKRAINE
conflict?
Adapted by Geopolitical Analysis and Monitoring from
the original article written by Frederic Mousseau - Policy Director at the
Oakland Institute.
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