This paper argues that the unprecedented acceleration of growth in the developing world in the new millennium in comparison with advanced economies is due not so much to improvements in underlying fundamentals as to exceptionally favourable global economic conditions, shaped mainly by unsustainable policies in advanced economies. The only developing economy which has had a major impact on global conditions, notably on commodity prices, is China. (more…)
Mechanisms for International Cooperation in Research and Development: Lessons for the Context of Climate Change.
This Research Paper examines possible modalities of collaboration for research and development (R&D), understood as comprehensive of scientific studies and of activities for the generation of new processes and products and the improvement of existing ones . It briefly discusses, first, the various sources of technology for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change. (more…)
Statutory Sovereign Debt Workout Mechanisms: Why And How?
The following paper by the South Centre (authored by its Chief Economist Yilmaz Akyuz ) was presented by the Centre’s Executive Director at the UN General Assembly special event on sovereign debt crises and restructurings, held in New York on 20 October 2012.
Rethinking Global Health: A Binding Convention for R&D for Pharmaceutical Products.
This Research Paper is a contribution to the debate and reform process of the WHO to enable it to respond to the health and health policy challenges of the twenty-first century. More specifically, this paper addresses the issue of the pharmaceutical innovation system within the perspective of access to medicines, exploring possible structural changes in the current system. (more…)
WTO’s MC8: Some Critical Issues for Developing Countries.
This Analytical Note provides an overview of the following: issues at stake in MC8 for developing countries and key messages for Ministers; the state of play including the main events that took place in the production of the ‘Elements for Political Guidance’ text; the legal status of the Chairman’s Statement as the outcome document of the Ministerial; (more…)
Annex 1 Pledges, Accounting “Loopholes”, And Implications for the Global 2°C Pathway.
The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) has recently issued a report that examines four recent detailed studies of countries’ mitigation pledges under the Cancun Agreements, for the purpose of comparing developed (Annex 1) country pledges to developing (non-Annex 1) country pledges. (more…)
Economic Partnership Agreements in Africa: A Benefit-Cost Analysis.
This study provides a simple cost-benefit analysis of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between African countries and the European Union. It compares the costs of signing an EPA – measured as tariff revenue losses, versus the “gains” of signing an EPA – measured as (more…)
Analysis Of Draft Waiver Decision On Services And Services Suppliers Of LDCs.
This Note is an analysis of the draft waiver decision submitted by the Chairman of the CTS to Ministers for adoption at the 8th Ministerial Conference. This is essentially a waiver from the most-favoured nation treatment clause (Article II. 1) in GATS to allow Members to provide preferential and more favourable treatment to services and services suppliers of LDCs. (more…)
LDC Package: State of Play and Proposed Language for WTO’s MC8.
The LDC Package was proposed by the WTO Director General, in his capacity as Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC) Chair in May 2011 for early harvesting at the Eighth Ministerial Conference (MC8) in December 2011. Since then, these negotiations have run into problems due to the resistance of the United States. (more…)
Special and Differential Treatment Negotiations: State of Play and Proposed Language for WTO’s MC8.
There has been some but not a significant amount of progress made on the Special and Differential Treatment negotiations mandated in the Doha Declaration (para 44) for developing countries. This paper provides an overview of: (more…)
Proposals on the Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development (IFSD).
Twenty years after the Rio Summit 1992, the global sustainable development situation has deteriorated. The environment crisis has worsened. After a period of good development performances in some developing countries, the prospects for the global economy have worsened, with the financial-economic crisis now affecting Europe and the US, which has implications for developing countries. (more…)
The Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health Ten Years Later: The State of Implementation.
The Declaration on the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Public Health was adopted on 14 November 2001 by the 4th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Meeting at Doha, Qatar. (more…)
