EVENTS
For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar at: http://www.ictsd.org/cal/index.htm.
Coming up this week
24-25 January, London, UK: PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TRADE IN TEXTILES AND CLOTHING. Organised by the WWF, the goal of the dialogue is to promote sustainable trade in textiles and clothing between Asian suppliers and European retailers. The meeting is by invitation only. For further information contact: Aimee T. Gonzales, Senior Policy Advisor WWF; tel: (41-22) 364-9002; fax: (41-22) 364-0640; email: agonzales@wwfint.org.
28 January-8 February, New York, USA: SECOND PREPARATORY SESSION FOR THE 2002 WORLD SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. The meeting will review the results of national and regional preparatory processes, examine the main policy report of the Secretary-General, and convene a multi-stakeholder dialogue. For further information contact: Andrey Vasilyev; tel: (1-212) 963-4264; email: vasilyev@un.org. Internet: http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/. From IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca.
28-29 January, Nairobi, Kenya: REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AFRICA. For further information contact: Anna Ogalo or Harrison Maganga, African Centre for Technology Studies, Nairobi, Kenya; tel: (254-2) 524-700/6; fax: (254-2) 524-701; email: acts@cgiar.org or a.ogalo@cgiar.org; Internet: http://www.acts.or.ke.
28-29 January, Midrand, South Africa: UNEP FI REGIONAL OUTREACH EVENT - AFRICA. Organised by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiatives (UNEP FI), the conference aims to address the role of the African financial sector in the progression of sustainable development. The objective of the conference is to highlight and encourage the active participation of diverse African financial institutions within the dynamics of sustainability. Both financial sector and non-financial sector participation is welcome. For further information contact: Niamh O’Sullivan, UNEP FI; tel: (41-22) 917-8178; fax: 917- 8076; email: niamh.o.Sullivan@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.unepfi.net/africa.
29-30 January, New York, USA: HIGH-LEVEL ROUNDTABLE ON ENERGY. Organised by the Global Environment Facility, this roundtable will be held alongside the second WSSD preparatory meeting. The meeting will discuss and exchange views on a background paper on sustainable energy in developing countries. For further information contact: GEF; tel: (1- 202) 473-0508; fax: (1-202) 522-3240; email: kkumari@worldbank.org. >From IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca
WTO
An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/meets.doc. Please bear in mind that dates and times of WTO meetings are often changed, and that the WTO does not always announce the important informal meetings of the different bodies. Unless otherwise indicated, all WTO meetings are held at the WTO, Centre William Rappard, rue de Lausanne 154, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland. For further information on WTO events contact: WTO Information and Media Relations Division, Geneva; tel: (41-22) 739- 5007; fax: 739-5458; email: enquiries@wto.org.
22 January, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT — ICTSD will report on this meeting in its next edition.
22-23 January, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO TEXTILES MONITORING BODY.
23 January, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO INFORMAL OPEN-ENDED CONSULTATIONS ON 28 JANUARY TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE.
23 January, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY - PAKISTAN.
23-24 January, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO WORKING PARTY ON THE ACCESSION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.
25 January, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY - PAKISTAN.
25 January, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES’ SUB- COMMITTEE.
28 January, Geneva, Switzerland: WTO TRADE NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE — ICTSD will report on the outcomes of this event in its next issue.
Other Forthcoming
30-31 January, Geneva, Switzerland: INTERNATIONAL AID AND TRADE EUROPE 2002 EXHIBITION. Organised by The Winchester Group in partnership with UNOPS, International Aid & Trade Europe will bring together numerous representatives from UN agencies, Red Cross, NGOs, IFIs and development banks, along with officials from governments and the EU. Speakers will address issues regarding the changing nature of humanitarian aid delivery. Conflict prevention, post-conflict recovery and the rehabilitation of civic society will also be included within the agenda, looking at the coordinated approaches made by the international aid community in partnership with donor and recipient governments and the private sector. For further information contact: Kevin Sammon, Group Sales Manager; email: kevin.sammon@aidandtrade.com or Caroline Maguire, Exhibition Manager; email: caroline.maguire@aidandtrade.com; Internet: www.aidandtrade.com.
31 January-3 February, New York, USA: GLOBALIZING JUSTICE. A call for a WEF Counter-Summit and National Student Mobilisation to be held at Columbia University. The conference will feature speakers, workshops on a variety of topics, and more. For further information visit: http://www.studentsforglobaljustice.org/contact.htm.
31 January-4 February, New York, USA: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM: ANNUAL MEETING 2002. The annual meeting attracts top business leaders, political leaders, and academic experts from every domain to address key economic, political and societal issues. This year’s theme is "Leadership in Fragile Times: A Vision for a Shared Future." Among the topics to be discussed are: Advancing Security and Addressing Vulnerability, Redefining Business Challenges, Reducing Poverty and Improving Equity, and Restoring Sustained Growth. For further information visit: http://worldeconomicforum.org.
31 January-5 February, Porto Alegre, Brazil: WORLD SOCIAL FORUM. The WSF will be an international arena for the creation and exchange of social and economic projects to promote human rights, social justice and sustainable development. The conference will consist of a series of daily plenary sessions with invited speakers, presentations of current initiatives, and meetings to develop networks and to strengthen ties among groups that engage in similar forms of organisation. For further information visit: http://www.worldsocialforum.org.
1 February, Geneva, Switzerland: FAO ROUNDTABLE ON SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WTO NEGOTIATIONS ON AGRICULTURE. The Round Table will consider Special and Differential Treatment in the context of the on-going WTO negotiations on agriculture and in particular how to take into account concerns of developing countries related to the Development Box proposal, Small Island Developing States and Single Commodity Exporters. For further information contact the Commodities and Trade Division, UN Food and Agricultural Organization; http://www.fao.org/ES/ESC/default.htm.
7-8 February, Paris, France: CONFERENCE ON FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND ENVIRONMENT. This conference, organised by the OECD, aims to shed light on the broader linkages between FDI and the environment in the mining sector, an important sector for the economy in many developing countries, and where environmental concerns have frequently been voiced. For further information visit: http://www.oecd.org/. From IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca.
13-15 February, Cartagena, Colombia: SEVENTH SPECIAL SESSION OF THE UNEP GOVERNING COUNCIL/GLOBAL MINISTERIAL ENVIRONMENT FORUM. For further information contact: Secretary for Governing Council; tel: (254- 2) 623-431; fax: (254-2) 623-929; email: beverly.miller@unep.org; Internet: http://www.unep.org/governingbodies/gc/specialsessions/gcss_vii/. From IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca.
21-23 February, Lyon, France: EARTH DIALOGUES - GLOBALIZATION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - IS ETHICS THE MISSING LINK?. Organised by Green Cross International, Earth Dialogues will provide a forum for debate on the world’s most acute problems. Participants will share their views on how to forge the essential links between globalisation, sustainable development and ethics. For further information contact: Earth Dialogues Secretariat; tel: (41-22) 789-1662; email: secretariat@gci.ch; Internet: http://www.greencrossinternational.net/pdf/Earth_Dialogue.pdf. From IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca.
4 March, London, UK: BILATERAL INVESTMENT TREATIES AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION: THE LATIN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. For further information contact: The British Institute of International and Comparative Law; Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5JP, United Kingdom; tel: +44 (0)20 7862 5151; fax. 7862 5152; email: info@biicl.org; Internet: http://www.biicl.org.
5 March London, UK: ASSIGNMENT OF RECEIVABLES IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE: THE NEW UN CONVENTION. £30 Members and £50 Non-members. For further information contact: The British Institute of International and Comparative Law; Charles Clore House, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5JP, United Kingdom; tel: +44 (0)20 7862 5151; fax. 7862 5152; email: info@biicl.org; Internet: http://www.biicl.org.
13-15 March, Vancouver, Canada: GLOBE 2002 CONFERENCE - ACCELERATING BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. For further information contact: GLOBE Foundation, Vancouver, Canada; tel: (1-604) 775-7300; fax: (1-604) 666-8123; email: info@globe.apfnet.org; Internet: http://www.globe2002.com/conference.htm. From IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca.
16-20 March, Alexandria, Egypt: BIOTECHNOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - VOICES OF THE SOUTH AND NORTH. This conference is co- sponsored by the Government of Egypt, FAO, UNESCO, World Bank and OECD, among others. For further information contact: Ismail Serageldin; tel: (203) 487-6024; fax: (203) 487-6001; email: egyptbiotech@bibalex.org; Internet: http://www.egyptbiotech.com/. From IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca.
18-22 March, Monterrey, Mexico: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT. The conference will bring together high-level representatives from governments, the UN, and other leading international trade, finance and development-related organizations. For further information contact: Harris Gleckman, Coordinating Secretariat; tel: (1-212) 963-4690; email: gleckman@un.org or Federica Pietracci, tel: (1-212) 963-8497; email: pietracci@un.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/ffd. From IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca.
19 March, Geneva, Switzerland: WORKSHOP ON CAPACITY BUILDING ON ENVIRONMENT, TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT. The workshop aims to provide a forum for identifying capacity building activities needed to assist countries effectively engage in trade and environment negotiations, assess the environmental as well as the developmental implications of the WTO agreements, and develop and implement mutually supportive trade and environment policies. For further information contact: Division of Technology, Industry, and Economics: Economics and Trade Branch, Geneva, Switzerland; tel: (41 22) 917 8243; fax: (41 22) 917 8076; email: etb@unep.ch; Internet: http://www.unep.ch/etu.
5-8 December, Washington, D.C., USA: AFRICA IN THE INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY AGE. The 45th Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association will study the roles and effects of information technology in the lives and governance policies of Africans, as well as those who interact with Africans on various levels. The importance of IT in health care, education, the arts, and political organising will be examined in the many contexts of 21st-century Africa. For further information contact: email: michpete@rci.rutgers.edu; Internet: http://www.africanstudies.org/asa_papercalltheme.html.