EVENTS
For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD’s web calendar. If you would like to submit an event, please email us.
ICTSD
12 December, Hong Kong, China: COTTON DAY: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE HONG KONG MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE? This event, organised by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), in collaboration with Enda Tiers Monde, the African Cotton Association (ACA), the African Cotton Producers Association (APROCA), Oxfam International and the Permanent Mission of Benin in Geneva, will provide a platform for dialogue and information exchange on the sectoral initiative on cotton. Discussion will be in French and English — translation will be provided. For further information contact El Hadji Diouf, tel: (+41) 22-917-8509; fax: (+41) 22-917-8093; e-mail: ediouf@ictsd.ch.
13-17 December, Hong Kong, China: HONG KONG TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM. The goal of this symposium, co-convened by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) and the University of Hong Kong in collaboration with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), is to encourage innovative thinking on issues related to trade and development that could be subsequently be translated into constructive inputs for the ongoing Doha Round negotiations. The main topics for discussions will be drawn from key development-related issues in the trade policy and trade rules arena. For further information contact Patrick Lunt, e-mail: plunt@ictsd.ch.
Upcoming : 8 December - 25 January
12-14 December, Geneva, Switzerland: EXPERT MEETING ON CAPACITY BUILDING IN THE AREA OF FDI: DATA COMPILATION AND POLICY FORMULATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. This UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Expert Meeting will focus on the compilation and analysis of foreign direct investment (FDI) data, and the role that such data plays in the formulation of FDI policies, from a development perspective. For further information contact UNCTAD, tel: (+41) 22-917-5809; fax: (+41) 22-917-0051; e-mail: info@unctad.org.
14 December, Washington, DC: CURRENT ISSUES AND TRENDS AT THE US COURT OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE. This Washington International Trade Association (WITA) event will feature an address by Leo Gordon, Clerk of the US Court of International Trade. Gordon will discuss past, present and future issues related to the Court since its inception in 1980. For further information contact WITA, tel: (+1) 202-312-1600; fax: (+1) 202-312-1601; e-mail: events@wita.org.
WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference Side
9-10 December, Hong Kong, China: IP3: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INNOVATION POLICIES AND INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES. This conference, jointly organised by the China Information Technology & Law Centre at the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law and the Intellectual Property & Communications Law Program at Michigan State University College of Law, will bring together leading academics, legal practitioners, technology experts and policy makers to address the latest developments and challenges in the areas of intellectual property and information technology. For further information contact Eliza Li, tel: (+852) 2859-2951; fax: (+852) 2559-3543; e-mail: ewlli@hkusua.hku.hk.
12 December, Hong Kong, China: SEMINAR ON COMMODITIES AND DEVELOPMENT. The purpose of this seminar, organised by the South Centre, is to raise awareness about problems related to commodity dependency in the South and the related implications for the trade and development of commodity-dependent developing countries. Simultaneous language interpretation in English, Spanish and French will be available. For further information contact Luisa Rodriguez, tel: (+41) 22-791-8050; fax: (+41) 22-798-8531; e-mail: rodriguez@southcentre.org.
13 December, Hong Kong, China: HIGH LEVEL DIALOGUE ON THE WTO AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. This gathering, organised by the UN University, will examine the relationship between the WTO and sustainable development at this critical stage of the Doha Agenda. Key speakers will introduce the topic followed by an interactive discussion period where participants can react and express their views. The event will also launch the publication of the recent UN University Press book ‘The WTO and Sustainable Development’ by Gary P. Sampson. Venue: Plaza V, Novotel Century Hotel, Hong Kong, Time: 8-10am, breakfast will be provided. For further information please contact Rebecca Carter, tel: (+81) 45-221-2335; fax: (+81) 45-221-2302; email: carter@ias.unu.edu.
14 December, Hong Kong, China: ‘SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN WORLD TRADE LAW’ SPECIAL COCKTAIL RECEPTION AND BOOK LAUNCH. This book launch is organised by the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) in partnership with the Canadian Consulate General and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. The event will bring the new trade law book to the attention of international legal experts, academics, policy-makers and civil society organisations, as well as reaching out to engage the broader Hong Kong legal, academic and international community. The book makes an important contribution to current research on the impact that trade law may have on sustainable development. The event will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Canadian Delegation Room (15:30-17:00). For further information contact Marie Bourdeau, Communications Officer, tel: (+1) 514-398-8918; fax: (+1) 514-398-8197; e-mail: mbourdeau@cisdl.org.
15 December, Hong Kong, China: THE DOHA ROUND DSU REFORM AND WTO AGRICULTURE DISPUTES INTERNATIONAL LAW EXPERTS PANEL EVENT. This event, organised by the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) in partnership with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the International Development Law Organisation, will provide a space for experts from the trade law and policy community to debate the conclusions of a new Legal Working Paper. The paper focuses on topics such as sustainable development issues in relation to the WTO Appellate Body’s role in current Doha Round negotiations and the most significant WTO panel and Appellate Body decisions in the area of agriculture in the last decade. A report will be produced detailing the conclusions of the event. For further information contact Marie Bourdeau, Communications Officer, tel: (+1) 514-398-8918; fax: (+1) 514-398-8197; e-mail: mbourdeau@cisdl.org.
15 December, Hong Kong, China: BEIJING+10 MEETS WTO+10: POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN THE RUBRIC OF TRADE LIBERALISATION. This International Gender and Trade Network (IGTN) workshop will bring together women’s groups, trade activists and social movements for a discussion on the broad understanding of the link between women’s rights, gender equality and trade regulations and the use of the Beijing Platform for Action as a tool for assessment and advocacy. For further information contact Kristen Sampson, tel: (+1) 202-635-2757 ext 128; fax: (+1) 202-832-9494; e-mail: ksampson@coc.org or Maria Pia Hernandez, e-mail: maria.pia@igtn.org.
18 December, Hong Kong, China: AFTER HONG-KONG: PROSPECTS FOR COMMON ACTIONS. This European United Left/Nordic Green Left European Parliamentary GroupGroup Parliamentary Group (GUE/NGL) — a confederation of left-leaning EU parliamentarians –of the European Parliament meeting will bring together "progressive parliamentarians" and representatives of social movements to discuss developing alternatives to the current international trade agenda in the wake of the WTO’s Hong Kong Ministerial Conference. Location: South Pacific Hotel. For further information contact Paul-Emile Dupret, e-mail: pdup...@europarl.eu.int or Pierre Rousset, pierre.rousset@ras.eu.org.
For a more comprehensive list of WTO Ministerial side events in Hong Kong visit http://www.ictsd.org/ministerial/hongkong/events.htm.
WTO
An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at: 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.
13-18 December: SIXTH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE, HONG KONG, CHINA
21 December: COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
Other Upcoming
16-20 January 2006, Geneva, Switzerland: UN CONFERENCE ON THE RENEGOTIATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER AGREEMENT, 1994, FOURTH PART. Members of the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) will meet for the fourth time in Geneva to negotiate the provisions of a successor agreement to their current governing pact. For further information contact UNCTAD, tel: (+41) 22-917-5809; fax: (+41) 22-917-0056; email: correspondence@unctad.org.
23 January, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE. This seminar, coordinated by the Institute for Environmental Studies (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Institute for Water Education (UNESCO-IHE), will address the issue of how multilateral agreements can be designed to foster sustainable development while also promoting and providing protection for investment. For further information contact Kyla Tienhaara, tel: (+31) 20-598-8257; e-mail: kyla.tienhaara@ivm.falw.vn.nl.
25-29 January, Davos Switzerland: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM: MASTERING OUR FUTURE. This annual meeting of the World Economic Forum will bring together leaders from business, government, international institutions, non-governmental organisations, universities and other communities to discuss key global challenges related to geopolitical, economic and environmental dilemmas. For further information contact the World Economic Forum, tel: (+41) 22-869-1212; fax: (+41) 22-786-2744; e-mail: contact@weforum.org.