This paper of the South Centre on the overall concept of the SDGs was presented by its Executive Director Martin Khor during the expert panel at the opening day of the first session of the UN’s open working group on SDGs held in the General Assembly hall on 14 March 2013. It had also been presented to a meeting of the G77 and China in New York as part of its preparation for the meetings of the UN working group on SDGs.
Post-2015 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development
By Yılmaz Akyüz
The United Nations’ Post-2015 Development Agenda should not simply extend MDGs, or reformulate the goals, but focus instead on global systemic reforms to remove main impediments to development and secure an accommodating international environment for sustainable development. This is a big, ambitious agenda which cannot be acted on overnight. An action plan for systemic reforms could be supplemented, but not substituted, by specific goals in some areas of economic and social development. This paper was presented to a brainstorming workshop of the G77 and China held in the UN in New York in February.
Global Value Chains (GVCs) from a Development Perspective
The current discourse on Global Value Chains by key proponents and also the WTO Secretariat is that developing countries should liberalise – in goods and services, and conclude a Trade Facilitation Agreement. (more…)
The successful East Asian model of “state-driven capitalism” is being threatened by proposals in the TPPA trade agreement to remove possible advantages of state-owned enterprises.
Investment Agreements: A New Threat to Health and TRIPS Flexibilities?
By Carlos M. Correa
The bilateral investment treaties (BITs) may be a threat to access to medicines as shown by a recent legal suit by a drug multinational against Canada for invalidating a patent.
His rivals called him a “pirate” but grateful millions whose lives were saved by his cheap generic medicines consider him a Robin Hood—Yusuf Hamied, leader of India’s giant company, Cipla.
Negotiating a Trade Facilitation Agreement: Considerations and Lessons from WTO Jurisprudence
This note discusses the lessons learned from WTO jurisprudence on trade facilitation articles under the GATT (i.e. Articles V, VIII and X GATT) and on other articles and WTO agreements that embody language similar to the one currently under negotiations. (more…)
Summary of South Centre Analysis of Implementation Issues Likely to Arise from Trade Facilitation Rules
This note provides a summary of the South Centre’s analysis of the implementation issues that might arise from new trade facilitation rules as proposed under Section I of the trade facilitation negotiating text (based on TN/TF/W/165/Rev.16). It also highlights few general considerations in regard to the overall negotiations on trade facilitation. (more…)
How Far Does The Trade Facilitation Negotiation text (Rev.16) Go Beyond The WCO Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC)?
This Note assesses the extent to which the Trade Facilitation negotiation text (Rev.16) goes beyond the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC). The backdrop to this Note is the erroneous view that the TF Agreement only differs slightly from the WCO RKC. (more…)
The MDGs began life a decade ago. There were three dimensions to the significance of the MDGs. It was an explicit recognition of the reality that a large proportion of people in the world were deprived and poor.
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.
Solar trade wars threaten the fight against climate change
By Martin Khor
Amidst the gloomy news in the deteriorating climate change situation, is this bright spark — the cost of solar energy has been going down dramatically.
