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. If you would like to submit an event, please email events@ictsd.ch.
Coming up: 22-28 November
22 November, Brussels, Belgium. EU BILATERAL AND REGIONAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS - BRINGING WOMEN TO THE CENTRE OF THE DEBATE. This one day consultation by WIDE and the International Gender and Trade Network, sponsored by the European Commission, aims to raise awareness and create an enhanced understanding of the impacts of EU trade polices on women’s livelihoods, gender equality and social justice in partner countries. Internet: http://www.igtn.org/page/761/1
22-23 November, Geneva, Switzerland. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN SERVICES. Organised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Centre d’études prospectives et d’informations internationales, this meeting aims to examine UNCTAD’s debt-management programme’s capacity building activities, its debt management and financial analysis (DMFAS) system, and its future direction. Internet: http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Meeting.asp?intItemID=2068&lang=1&m=14699&year=2007&month=11
23 November, Frankfurt, Germany. CAPITAL FLOWS : THREAT OR SALVATION ?. Organised by the European Banking Congress and OECD. Internet: http://www.frankfurt-ebc.com/
27-28 November, Cairo, Egypt. MAKING REFORMS SUCCEED: MOVING FORWARD WITH THE INVESTMENT POLICY AGENDA. Organised by the MENA-OECD Investment Programme and the Egyptian Ministry of Investment, this forum will take stock of achievements in investment climate reforms and regional co-operation, discuss remaining challenges and provide orientations for the way forward. The meeting also hopes to attract private sector representatives from all over the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and engage them in targeted discussions on topics which the programme has been working on throughout 2006, including investment, corporate governance, taxation environment, and financial sector development, among others. Internet: http://www.oecd.org/document/43/0,3343,en_34645207_34645590_37995051_1_1_1_1,00.html
27-28 November, Lusaka, Zambia. STRENGHENING INVESTMENT CLIMATE ASSESSMENT AND REFORM IN NEPAD COUNTRIES. This roundtable is organised by the OECD Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs. This roundtable hopes to build on the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and examine the different methods of investment climate assessment, country reform agendas and impact in specific sectors. Its overall aim is to develop policy capacity building tools that will help the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) countries improve the investment related content of APRM and to support implementation of investment climate reform policies, with a specific focus on the investment environment conditions conducive to attracting investment for development in the water and sanitation sector. Internet: http://www.oecd.org/document/62/0,3343,en_2649_34487_39204606_1_1_1_1,00.html
26 November, Geneva, Switzerland. FIFTH MEETING OF THE ADVISORY GROUP ON THE STRENGTHENING OF UNCTAD TRAINING CAPACITIES AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT. This year, the Group members will focus on the role of international organisations in building and sharing knowledge for trade and development. They will examine some of the innovative approaches being developed by, or in cooperation with, international organisations and will discuss how successful they are or have been in addressing the knowledge needs of developing countries and for trade and development. Internet: http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Meeting.asp?intItemID=2068&lang=1&m=14771&year=2007&month=11
26-30 November, Peru. TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT TRAINING COURSE FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. The Organization of American States is organizing a series of courses that aim to provide participants with a tool-kit to help them negotiate and implement international trade agreements that contain environmental provisions or a sustainable development perspective. This module will explore the physical and economic relationship between trade and environment. In particular, it will focus on trends associated with increased trade activity and its impacts on environment and development. This analysis will show that there is a pressing need to balance trade and environmental goals in order to achieve sustainable development. Internet: http://www.oas.org/dsd/Tool-kit/DEFAULT.htm
WTO
An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at: http://www.wto.org/meets_public/meets_e.pdf. 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, and are open to WTO Members and accredited observers only.
22 November: COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
22 November: CONSULTATIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE ASPECTS OF COTTON
23 November: COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS
26-28 November: TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY - THAILAND
28 November: COMMITTEE ON BUDGET, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Other Upcoming
29 November, New Delhi, India. NATIONAL CONSULTATION SERVICES TRADE AND DOMESTIC REGULATION IN INDIA. This consultation is organised by engaging the policy-makers (including regulators), civil society representatives, inter-governmental and multilateral agencies, academics and media. Country background paper and two sectoral case studies will be presented at this meeting. After receiving comments from various stakeholders, a synthesis paper will be prepared, outlining the policy implications and impact of services liberalisation and domestic regulation on these countries’ economies. This synthesis paper will be finalised after conducting the dissemination meeting so that deliberations at these meetings are taken on board. It will act as a policy advocacy document for future. Internet: http://www.cuts-citee.org/events-archive-nov07.htm#event01
5 December, Lausanne, Switzerland. Energy and food: are biofuels a global and sustainable solution? This conference/debate, organised by SVIAL/ASIAT, the Swiss association of agronomists and food engineers, examines the deep transformation of agricultural production that has resulted from energy farming, which has given rise to a whole new industry and profoundly changed global trade patterns for food and feedstuffs. While many welcome these developments, others question the sustainability of these developments. China has initiated a temporary moratorium, while Brazil promotes its biofuels internationally. Registration is open until 26 November. Geschäftsstelle SVIAL, Länggasse 79, 3052 Zollikofen; fax: +41 31 910 50 70; e-mail: svial@svial.ch. A contribution will be collected at the entrance : SFr 50.- for SVIAL members and EPF employees, SFr. 80.- for the others, except for students for whom it is free of charge (valid student card).