After Hong Kong: Battle Will Resume January 2006
The WTO obviously attracts lots of passion. But the big decisions were not taken at Hong Kong where the World Trade Organisation held its Ministerial conference, and the talks will resume in Geneva in January. By Martin Khor.
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South Forms Grand Coalition in Hong Kong
One of the most significant events at the 6th WTO Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong has been the appearance of a new and grand coalition of developing countries. The new group is called G110 and represents a force of 110 Southern countries out of a total of 150 WTO members.
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The Electronic Reader for Hong Kong
In the run-up to Hong Kong NGOs have multiplied the publication of research and education material. World Economy & Development in brief presents the direct links to the 12 most recent policy papers on trade, development, and environment.
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Alternative Economists Against European Minimalism
On the eve of the European Summit next week in Brussels more than 270 economists from 21 EU member countries have published proposals for an "Integrated Development Strategy in Europe". They call for a considerable rise of the European budget and a rebalancing of the economic, social, and ecological dimensions of the European integration.
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World Bank: Leap Backwards for Sustainable Energy
The World Bank is failing to live up to its clean energy mandate, agreed at the 2005 G8 Summit. This is shown by figures in a new report from the Bank. The revelation comes as the World Bank is taking an increasingly high profile role at the UN climate talks currently underway in Montreal.
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On the Road to Hong Kong: Gender-Fair Trade?
More and more facts, figures and empirical evidence prove the highly uneven, unequal and unstable effects of trade liberalisation. And a growing body of empirical data indicate the particularly harmful effect on poor women in the global South.
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Five Years after Landmark Report on Dams
Five years after the independent World Commission on Dams (WCD) published its landmark report on dams and development, international experts called for stronger social and environmental standards for water and power projects.
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EU Offer Threatens Developing Countries
The latest set of proposals by the European Union at the WTO is in stark contradiction to a recent speech made by the Trade Minister of the United Kingdom, which presently holds the Presidency of the European Union. This begs the question: Who really speaks for Europe?
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Annual Survey of Anti-Union Repression
Being a trade unionist is becoming more dangerous with a total of 145 people world-wide killed due to their trade union activities in 2004, 16 more than the previous year, according to the Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights Violations.
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The Consequences of MFA Phase-Out
A new ILO study says that despite widespread concern that the lifting of global textile and clothing quotas in January 2005 would be a labour and trade catastrophe for many developing countries, the results thus far have been a mixed bag.
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Overwhelming Majority for UNESCO Convention
The General Conference of UNESCO, meeting in Paris from October 3 to October 21, approved the Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions, an normative instrument that will enter into force three months after its ratification by 30 States.
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EU Presents New Africa Strategy
An 'EU Strategy for Africa: Towards a Euro-African pact to accelerate Africa's Development' announced on 12 October 2005 says peace and security, good governance, better trade links and improved education are key to ensure that the MDGs are achieved. Stefania Bianchi reports.
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World Summit between Disappointment and Hope
The World Summit of the United Nations was no breakthrough to a new multilateralism. It disappointed many (far too ambitious) hopes. But its results are more interesting and pathbreaking than has been conveyed in the first press commentaries, writes Rainer Falk.
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IT: An Opportunity for Developing Countries?
A whole new world seemed to open up to developing countries with the promise of Information Technology (IT). Even as the IT revolution did open up new job avenues, the experience of many developing countries can at best be described as mixed, writes Anita Gurumurthy.
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New Architecture of Aid: Gender Equality Included?
Recently the nature of development co-operation has been changing and new aid modalities have been established which intend to promote ownership of policies by developing countries. This raises the question whether a gender architecture is included. By Mirjam van Reisen and Maxi Ussar.
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Helsinki Conference: A Question of Political Will
Normally, world commissions recruit their participants overwhelmingly from the ranks of long-serving politicians and top international diplomats, who as a group embody a moderately progressive international mainstream. Within the Helsinki group, it was differnt, writes Jens Martens.
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Will the European Union Save the UN Summit?
The EU has invested significantly in the UN Summit next week. With a small group of countries including the United States having recently thrown the negotiations on the outcome document into a tailspin, the EU is confronted with a significant roadblock and challenge for its leadership. By Denise Auclair.
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The U.S. Onslaught Against the World Summit
The 450 changes that Washington is demanding to the action agenda of the September 2005 United Nations summit are a clear onslaught against any move that could strengthen the United Nations or international law, says Phyllis Bennis.
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