Issues

Analytical Note, October 2006

The Suspension of the WTO DDA Negotiations: Scenarios and identification of pressure points for Developing Countries.

This note identifies some opportunities and challenges that the suspension of the WTO Doha negotiations has created for developing countries. In fact, an early identification of pressure points in the negotiations can contribute to the preparedness of developing country delegations for the time negotiations resume. (more…)

Policy Brief 5, September 2006

Increasing LDC Participation in Services through Special Priority Market Access in the WTO.

The participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in international trade in services is minimal. Unlike the case of goods, in services, LDCs compete on a Most Favoured Nation (MFN) basis. It is therefore impossible for a country to give a market opening only to LDCs, on terms more favourable than is available to others. (more…)

Analytical Note, August 2006

Internet governance for development.

This South Centre Analytical Note provides a brief discussion of the linkage between Internet Governance and development. It suggests that agenda topics of the 2006 Internet Governance Forum should focus on development, capacity building, and increasing the level of democracy and transparency of Internet Governance. (more…)

Analytical Note, August 2006

Meeting the challenges of UN reform: a South perspective.

This South Centre Analytical Note provides a brief background of UN reform since the start of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s tenure in 1997. (more…)

Analytical Note, August 2006

Comparative assessment of developing country participation in the governance of the global economic institutions.

This paper comparatively analyses developing country participation in the governance of the IMF, World Bank, and WTO and discusses the merits and demerits of the current governance mechanisms. (more…)

Research Paper 8, August 2006

IP rights under investment agreements: The TRIPs-plus implications for enforcement and protection of public interest.

The proliferation of investment and IP agreements raises fundamental questions on the relationship between such agreements and the implementation of national policies for economic development. (more…)

Analytical Note, August 2006

The Development Dimension of the GATS Domestic Regulation Negotiations.

This Analytical Note discusses the implications GATS Article VI: 4 disciplines can have on developing countries and least developed countries and their pursuit for development through domestic regulations. (more…)

Research Paper 7, July 2006

Reinventing UNCTAD.

The establishment of UNCTAD by the UN General Assembly in terms of Resolution 1995 (XIX) of 30 December 1964, was a landmark in the history of the evolution of the United Nations. This new body of the United Nations brought it closest to discharging its Charter functions in the economic and social field and ushered in a golden era of international development co-operation. (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2006

Enhancig positive corporate contributions to development: making corporate responsability for development operational in the UNCTAD XI MTR context.

This South Centre Analysis provides a discussion of the concept of corporate responsibility for development, existing initial initiatives in this area, and the need for UNCTAD to ensure that its mandate coming from UNCTAD XI to undertake work in this area results in substantive outcomes. (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2006

Operationalizing the concept of policy space in the UNCTAD XI mid-term review context.

This South Centre Analytical Note provides a brief historical overview of the development of the concept of “policy space” for development in international forums and tries to suggest ways on how, in the context of the UNCTAD XI Mid-Term Review process, (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2006

Enhancing positive corporate contributions to development: making corporate responsibility for development operational in the UNCTAD XI MTR context.

This paper is intended to provide readers with a brief overview of the current state of play (as of late March 2004) of the pre-conference negotiations, and then goes on to describe, paragraph by paragraph, the differences in negotiating positions among various countries. (more…)