Issues

Research Paper 79, September 2017

Access to and Benefit-Sharing of Marine Genetic Resources beyond National Jurisdiction: Developing a New Legally Binding Instrument

This paper examines the underlying principles and main elements of binding and non-binding international instruments relating to access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources. It discusses the gap left by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and some of the elements that might be considered in developing a new legally-binding instrument on access and benefit-sharing derived from the exploitation of marine genetic resources found in areas beyond national jurisdiction, as mandated by the United Nations General Assembly. (more…)

Statement, September 2017

South Centre Statement at the 12th Session of the WIPO Advisory Committee on Enforcement (ACE)

In line with the mandate of the WIPO Development Agenda, WIPO must approach intellectual property enforcement in the context of broader societal interests and especially development-oriented concerns, in accordance with Article 7 of the TRIPS Agreement.

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Delhi Conference on South-South and Triangular Cooperation, 24-25 August 2017

Title:                Parallel Session on Sectoral Connect in South-South Cooperation Banking, Finance, Investment and the Legal Regimes

Date:                24-25 August 2017

Venue:             India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India

Organizers:    Network of Southern Think-Tanks (NeST), Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), Ministry of External Affairs, India, United Nations, Forum for Indian Development Cooperation (FIDC) 

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IP Negotiations Monitor 22, August 2017

The IP Negotiations Monitor summarizes the latest developments in multilateral and regional fora where intellectual property negotiations are taking place, and informs on upcoming meetings and events.

(Covering period: April – June 2017)

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Policy Brief 44, August 2017

Industrialization, inequality and sustainability: What kind of industry policy do we need?

The 2030 Agenda includes as Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9) the commitment to “build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The entry of this goal into the 2030 Agenda is an achievement for developing countries who have a very diverse situation in terms of population sizes, per capita incomes, economic sizes and structures, political systems, cultures but share the common feature of an underdeveloped industrial sector.Therefore, in order to implement SDG 9 pro-active industry policies are needed that take into account aspects of inequality and sustainability.

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Analytical Note, July 2017

The WTO’s Fisheries Subsidies Negotiations

Attempts are made to revitalise the fisheries subsidies negotiations at the WTO with the aim of achieving an outcome at the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference in December 2017.

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Analytical Note, July 2017

Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs)

Since 2015, the theme of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) has emerged after the Philippines submitted a proposal on this issue in the WTO, calling for discussions to take place in a more sustained way.

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SouthViews No. 154, 4 August 2017

Public-Private Partnerships as the Answer . . . What was the Question?

By Manuel F. Montes

In discussions at the UN about achieving Agenda 2030, it has become de rigueur to highlight the role of the private sector. It is often introduced as the discovery of the idea that private sector investment and financing is indispensable to achieving Agenda 2030. For developed country diplomats and their associated experts this new celebrity treatment appears to be an article of faith, at least during negotiations on economic matters in the UN. They are foisting a misleading Trumpian exaggeration that is technically harmful to development policymaking and to Agenda 2030. (more…)