Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 7 • Number 43 • 17th December 2003
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. If you would like to submit an event, please email events@ictsd.ch.
Coming Up In January 2003
12-13 January 2004, Monterrey, Mexico: SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS. A special meeting of the presidents and prime ministers of 34 member-countries of the Organisation of American States (OAS). This Summit will discuss many concerns, seek solutions and develop a shared vision for their future development of the region, be it economic, social or political in nature. For further information, contact: Secretariat for the Summit Process, OAS, Suite 680, Washington, DC, 20006, tel: (+1 202) 458-3127; fax: (+1 202) 458-3665; email: summit-info@oas.org; Internet: http://www.summitsoftheamericas.org/default.htm
12-16 January 2004, Gland, Switzerland: 30TH MEETING OF THE RAMSAR STANDING COMMITTEE. Organised by Ramsar. Ramsar is the first of the modern global intergovernmental treaties on conservation and wise use of natural resources. The Standing Committee meets annually to carry out interim activity between each COP on matters previously approved by the Conference; prepare documentation for consideration at the next COP; supervise implementation of policy by the Ramsar Bureau and execution of the Bureau’s budget; and decide upon applications for project support from the Ramsar Small Grants Fund. For further information, contact: Dwight Peck, Executive Assistant for Communications, tel: (+41 22) 999-0170; fax: 999-0169; email: peck@ramsar.org; Internet: http://ramsar.org/meetings.htm
15-16 January 2004, Geneva, Switzerland: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNECE REGION. The First Regional Implementation Forum On Sustainable Development is being organised by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The Forum aims at providing substantial inputs to the Review Year of the UNECE and contribute to the twelfth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-12) scheduled for 16-30 April 2004. For further information contact the UNECE Secretariat, tel: +41 22 917-4444; fax: 917-0107; email: subashini.narasimhan@unece.org; Internet: http://www.unece.org/env/wgso/Sustainable%20Development/sd_forum.jan2004.htm
16 January 2004, Geneva, Switzerland: PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR UNCTAD XI - CIVIL SOCIETY HEARING. This meeting will be held at the Palais des Nations. UNCTAD XI will be held from 13-18 June 2003 in Sao Paolo, Brazil and is seen as an opportunity for tackling the most pressing developmental challenges confronting developing countries. For questions, including future meetings and accreditation to the Conference, please contact Amel Haffouz, email: amel.haffouz@unctad.org; Internet: http://www.unctad.org
16-21 January 2004, Mumbai, India: WORLD SOCIAL FORUM. Organised by the India General Council (IGC), India Working Committee (IWC), India Organising Committee (IOC) and Mumbai Organising Committee (MOC). People’s movements across the world are working to demonstrate that the path to sustainable development and social and economic justice does not lie in neo-liberal globalisation but in alternative models for people-centred and self-reliant progress. WSF India offers a platform to discuss issues of concern to civil society aimed at building a society centred on the human person. For further information contact the WSF Secretariat, tel: +91-22-2421-6249; fax: +91-22-2421-6382; email: wsfindia@vsnl.net; Internet: http://www.wsfindia.org/anotherworld.php
21-25 January 2004, Davos, Switzerland: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING. For more information on the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum contact the secretariat at tel: +41-22-869-1212; fax: +41-22-786-2744; email: contact@weforum.org; Internet: http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Events%20subhome
23-24 February 2004, London, England: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WTO: TRADE, INVESTMENT AND ENVIRONMENT AFTER CANCUN. This international conference is the fifth in the Royal Institute of International Affairs’ series on trade, investment, and sustainable development. Challenges to the multilateral trading system in the wake of Cancun will be discussed, including the US and EU response to developing country concerns over agricultural subsidies, the negotiating dynamic of the new G21 grouping of developing countries, and potential conflicts between trade and sustainable development. For further information and to register for the conference contact the Conference Unit tel: +44-20-7957-5729; Internet: http://www.riia.org/index.php? id=5&cid=38
28-30 January 2004, Geneva, Switzerland: SEMINARS ON INVESTMENT AND COMPETITION. CUTS Centre for Competition, Investment and Economic Regulation (C-CIER), Jaipur, India will organise a luncheon Panel Discussion on Civil Society Perceptions of FDI as part of the Final Meeting of the ‘Investment for Development’ (IFD) project on 28 January; a conference of the INCSOC entitled ‘Engaging Civil Society in Promoting a Healthy Competition Culture’ on 29 January; and an international seminar as part of the final meeting of the IFD project entitled ‘FDI Policies and Regulation - How to Foster Economic Development?’ on 30 January. For further information contact IFD, email: ifd@cuts.org or incsoc@incsoc.net
WTO Events
At the time of print, the January 2004 WTO schedule was not yet available. For an updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings, see http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/meets.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.
Other 2004 Events
1-3 April 2003, Berlin, Germany: ENCOS 2004. This meeting will be the first European Networks Conference on Sustainability in Practice (ENCOS) focussing on the conditions and requirements for a new European level of capacity building. Organised by Kolleg für Management und Gestaltung Nachhaltiger Entwicklung. The goal of the meeting is to obtain an inter- and transdisciplinary understanding on the latest developments in international practice, research and education on sustainability issues. For further information visit http://www.ENCOS2004.net
28 August-3 September 2004, St. Louis, Mauritius: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR THE TEN-YEAR REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BARBADOS PROGRAMME OF ACTION. Organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division of Sustainable Development. UN Undersecretary General Anwarul Chowdhury will serve as secretary general for the review of the 1994 Barbados Program of Action for the Sustainable Development of the Small Island Developing States. The review will focus on the economic, social and environmental vulnerabilities of small island developing states, including the issues of poverty eradication, reducing the threat of HIV/AIDS, increasing trade and coping with climate change. For further information contact Diane Quarless, SIDS Unit; tel: +1 212 963-4135; fax: +1 917 367-3391; email: Mauritius2004@sidsnet.org; Internet: http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/sids/sids.htm
17-25 November, Bangkok, Thailand: THE 3RD IUCN WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS: "PEOPLE AND NATURE, MAKING THE DIFFERENCE". Organised by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The Congress will consist of a three-day World Conservation Forum and a four-day Members’ Business Assembly. During the Forum, IUCN members, partners and interested stakeholders will debate options that safeguard the ecosystems upon which future prosperity depends. During the Assembly, IUCN members - governments and NGOs - will approve the 2005-2008 Programme Framework and Financial Plan, elect officers, consider resolutions and recommendations, and set the membership dues. For further information, contact: IUCN, tel: (+41 22) 999-0232; fax: (+41 22) 999-0020; email: ursula.hiltbrunner@iucn.org; Internet: http://www.iucn.org