Publications

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…)

Analytical Note, May 2006

Some reasons not to negotiate export taxes and restrictions in the WTO NAMA Negotiations.

This Analysis briefly examines some of the economic and policy reasons behind the application of export taxes and export restrictions in developing countries. The elements enumerated in this note provide arguments against negotiations aimed at further restricting the use of this type of policy tools, as currently being proposed by developed countries in the WTO NAMA negotiations. (more…)

Analytical Note, May 2006

NAMA State of Play: Countries Negotiating Positions.

This note presents, in a schematic form, the negotiating positions of selected WTO Members or Groups of Members in the WTO Negotiations on Non- Agricultural Market Access (NAMA). (more…)

Research Paper 6, April 2006

Considering gender and the WTO services negotiations.

The objective of this paper is to raise awareness amongst trade negotiators from developing and least developed countries of the inter-relationship between gender and trade in services issues. The context is the negotiations within the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO). (more…)

Analytical Note, April 2006

Elements for the Architecture of Aid for Trade.

The underlying message of this paper is that aid for trade is important to mitigate trade-induced adjustment costs and to bolster supply-side capacity in developing countries. However, aid is only second-best to balanced, fair and equitable trading rules. (more…)

Research Paper 5, March 2006

Rethinking policy options for Export Earnings.

Although the structure of International Trade has changed significantly in favour of manufactures, primary commodities remain extremely important for several developing as well as Least Developed Countries. A large number are still dependent on a limited basket of primary commodities for their exports.

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Analytical Note, February 2006

South Centre Analysis on the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration.

The South Centre Analysis of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration evaluates the developments in the Doha Work Programme since the launch of the Round, examines the implications of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration and identifies some important strategic issues for developing countries that need to be considered in subsequent negotiation. (more…)