tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82666390174375398212024-03-13T19:17:57.234+01:00Voices from the South CentreA South Intellectual Platform provided by the South Centre (a Geneva-Based Inter-Governmental organization) for information relevant for the South.South Centrehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10888725042368463508noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-80542301028234861212009-03-10T10:14:00.006+01:002009-03-10T10:29:23.673+01:00South Centre briefs senior developing country officials from trade and commerce ministryMr. Offah Obale and Ms. Wase Musonge today briefed around 12 senior officials from trade and commerce ministries from several developing countries to acquaint them with complex multilateral trade workings. These senior officials were visiting the South Centre as a part of AITIC’s capacity-building programmes, namely the Official Fellowship and Professional Training Programme.Mr. Offah provided vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-19434016307327716682009-03-05T22:13:00.003+01:002009-03-05T22:16:55.008+01:00EPA General Exceptions undermine WTO negotiations on commoditiesPeter Lunenborg, Trade for Development Programme, South Centre, has his piece "EPA General Exceptions undermine WTO negotiations on commodities" published in the Trade Negotiations Insights. Volume 8, Number 2, March 2009.The article is available from: http://ictsd.net/i/news/tni/42025/vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-13459117164609943542009-03-04T16:29:00.005+01:002009-03-04T18:05:25.746+01:00South Centre organises workshop on EPAs in AngolaThe Trade for Development Programme, South Centre is organising a workshop on EPAs on 4 -5 March 2009 in collaboration with Ministry of Trade, Angola. The resource person include Ms. Aileen Kwa, Coordinator, and Mr. Offah Obale, Programme Officer, Trade for Development Programme. The keynote address is to be delivered by Minister of Trade, Angola.More information at: http://www.southcentre.org/vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-36227570773229068192009-03-04T12:12:00.001+01:002009-03-04T12:14:08.176+01:00Working Lunch Meeting with WTO DelegatesThe Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP) , South Centre organised a working lunch meeting for the WTO delegates on 27 February 2009The objective of this meeting was for developing country delegates to discuss and prepare for the upcoming meetings of the TRIPS Council on 3-4 March (regular session) and 5 March (special session). vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-52883751102822077622009-03-02T21:14:00.003+01:002009-03-02T21:21:23.327+01:00Dr. Devaki Jain, Member of erstwhile South Commission visits South CentreDr. Devaki Jain, Member of the erstwhile South Commission today visited the South Centre to get briefed on the activities being taken up the South Centre and to share her experiences and insights from the South Commission period.Apart from meeting some of the staff Members, she also met with Mr. Martin Khor, the Executive Director of the South Centre to exchange views on a range of issues, vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-5766778373669138992009-03-02T21:05:00.004+01:002009-03-02T21:13:44.639+01:002nd March: Mr. Martin Khor joins as the new Executive Director of the South Centre2 March: Today, Mr. Martin Khor spent his first day in the office as the Executive Director of the South Centre. He was given a warm welcome by all the staff members who introduced themselves and wished him well in his new role. Mr. Khor also took this opportunity to brief all the staff members on his vision and the role he sees for the South Centre, and the challenges and opportunities ahead. vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-7199938857425344472009-03-02T21:00:00.003+01:002009-03-02T21:05:30.883+01:00South Centre @ African Information Ethics Workshop, PretoriaVikas Nath, Head - Media and Communications, South Centre delivered the plenary address at the workshop on African Information Ethics and E-Governance, organised by the Government of South Africa and UNESCO in Pretoria, South Africa from 23 -27 February 2009.The presentation delivered briefed the audience on case-studies picked out from several developing countries.vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-71458632438902962112009-03-02T20:56:00.001+01:002009-03-02T20:59:57.067+01:00South Centre @ UNCTAD-ICTSD workshop on WTO US -China Panel Report - Geneva, 23 February 2009Dr. Xuan Li, Coordinator, Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme of the South Centre, made a presentation on "US-China case: Implications for the protection and enforcement of IPRs in China" at UNCTAD-ICTSD workshop on WTO US -China Panel Report, Geneva, 23 February 2009.Her presentation can be downloaded from here.vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-23411886287345350222009-02-18T17:47:00.000+01:002009-02-18T17:58:03.911+01:00South Centre Cautions African Countries when Approaching Economic Partnership AgreementsThe way EPA has been conceived, based on the requirement for reciprocal market opening with the European Union (EU), is likely to bring more losses than gains for Africa. The gains are not much, as the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which make up 34 out of 47 African countries negotiating the EPAs, can avail of the Everything But Arms (EBA) preferential scheme of the EU. And the value of the vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-34149325315965493252009-02-18T17:41:00.003+01:002009-02-18T17:45:21.742+01:00South Centre @ CONNEXION: The Career ForumMs. Xuan Zhang and Mr. Ranson Lekunze from South Centre represented the organisation at the "Connexion" in Geneva on 12 February 2009.Connexion is a career forum organised by the Graduate Institute largely for its students and alumni. South Centre used this opportunity to give a presentation about the South Centre and to brief several students who were interested in internship and other work vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-65646227939636462322009-02-07T19:35:00.005+01:002009-02-07T20:32:11.942+01:00Newly elected Chair of the G77 and China in New York visits South CentreH.E. Mr. Lumumba Stanislaus-Kaw Di-Aping, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Sudan to the UN in New York visited South Centre to meet the Chairperson, Executive Director and the Staff members.Sudan has been newly elected as the Chair of G77 and China in New York for 2009 and Ambassador Stanislaus-Kaw Di-Aping will have the responsibility of coordinating the G77 and China positions vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-3371114611827744202009-02-07T10:45:00.012+01:002009-02-08T09:24:41.111+01:00Fifth South Intellectual Platform Meeting The fifth South Intellectual Platform (SIP) meeting was held on 7th February 2009 at Chateau de Bossey. Almost 40 colleagues participated in the meeting.The full-day SIP meeting was chaired by H.E Mr. Benjamin W. Mkapa, President of Tanzania (1995-2005) who is also the Chairman of the South Centre. President Mkapa provided an overview of the global situation and prospects, and what it means for vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-31969475982267732582009-02-05T23:29:00.003+01:002009-02-05T23:38:06.869+01:00Working Lunch on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)The Trade for Development Programme organised an information exchange and brainstorming meeting on the ongoing EU - ACP EPA negotiations today (5 February) at the South Centre.The meeting provided an update on where African countries and their sub regions are in the EPA/FTA negotiations; how the processes will unfold in the coming months and how the Centre can better support them.The meeting was vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-59021841432422656072009-02-03T19:55:00.006+01:002009-02-03T20:14:40.721+01:00South Centre and BaKaForum 2009Dr. Yash Tandon, Executive Director, South Centre was one of the keynote speakers at the Basel-Karlsruhe Forum (BakaForum) 2009 on 30th January 2009 at the Basel University. Other keynote speakers included, Vandana Shiva, Klaus Leisinger and Thomas Stocker.<!-- Multimedia element: [begin] --> <!-- Multimedia element: [end] -->vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-16589323454834433972009-02-02T18:21:00.002+01:002009-02-02T18:22:50.906+01:00South Centre participates in European Patent Office organised worskhopNirmalya Syam, Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP), South Centre participated in a Workshop organized by the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich, Germany from 29-30 January 2009.The workshop discussed various strategies through which the European Patent Office can interact meaningfully with stakeholders in the civil society with the objective of ensuring a balance between vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-19278579912689332802009-01-28T17:16:00.003+01:002009-01-28T17:29:43.199+01:00South Centre in BBC Documentary "Beyond A Dollar A Day" Dr. Yash Tandon, Executive Director, South Centre attended the preview of the BBC documentary "Beyond A Dollar A Day" which includes his short interview on the issue of aid and development.The preview took place in Zurich and was attended by almost 500 people and was followed by a panel dicussion which included Martin Dahinden, Director-General, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-41519871797419542872009-01-28T16:55:00.003+01:002009-02-02T18:20:23.468+01:00South Centre participates in Science and Commons World ForumMs. Viviana Munoz Tellez, Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP), South Centre participated this week at the first World Forum on Science and Democracy, held in Belém, Brazil from 26-27 of January 2009. The Forum is created as a space aimed to extend democratic principles to the fields of science and technology, and to support new initiatives and new forms of partnerships between vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-68272820852487787592009-01-28T16:34:00.002+01:002009-01-28T16:40:45.905+01:00EPA scenario building workshop for West African countriesMs. Wase Musonge, Trade for Development Programme, South Centre participated in the EPA scenario building workshop for West African countries organised by theFriedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) in Benin from 19 -23 January 2009. Almost 30 participants attended the training programme.vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-28307671946679472442009-01-19T16:25:00.003+01:002009-01-19T16:37:10.182+01:00Training on EPAs/ FTAs for Developing Country Negotiators in BrusselsOn 4 -5 December 2008, the Trade for Development Programme of the South Centre organised a training programme on EPAs/ FTAs for Developing Country Negotiators in Brussels.Over 30 colleagues from different regions participated in this programme. The purpose of this meeting was to bring a small group of like minded countries together to discuss key issues that these countries are likely to agree onvikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-35016117938254816572009-01-16T12:37:00.002+01:002009-01-16T12:42:22.949+01:00South Centre @ Poznan Climate ConferenceSouth Centre participated as an Observor at the UN Climate Conference held in Poznan, Poland from 1 -14 December 2009.During the Conference, South Centre provided negotiations assistance and research support to the G77 and China and also participated as an Observor in the various meetings. Vice Yu, Coordinator, Global Governance for Development Programme and Vikas Nath, Head (Media and vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-2887051945693782282009-01-16T11:21:00.004+01:002009-01-16T11:29:57.076+01:00Is there any Development Agenda left in the Doha Development Round?On 5 December, the South Centre organised an invitation-only brainstorming discussion on the Development content of the Doha Round at the World Trade Organisation.Leading the discussions were H.E. Mme Maria Nzomo, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Kenya to the WTO and Dr. Yash Tandon, Executive Director, South Centre.Some of questions of interest to developing countries were taken up during the vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-53609675293774301642009-01-15T20:09:00.008+01:002009-01-16T10:30:55.776+01:00South Centre Networks at Financing for Development Conference, Doha Some snapshots of South Centre Networks at the Financing for Development Conference in Doha (28 October - 2 November 2008).Yash Tandon, Executive Director with H.E Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of Tanzania.With H.E Mr.E. Ahamad Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, IndiaWith H.E Pedro Páez Pérez, Minister of Economic Policy Coordination, Republic of Ecuador.With Mr. Jean Ping, vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-47535461178481067432009-01-15T20:03:00.004+01:002009-01-15T20:06:48.602+01:00South Centre @ FFD Doha 2008 - Climate Change and Development – How to Mobilize, Transfer and Use Innovative FundingDr. Yash Tandon, Executive Director, South Centre was a Panelist for the side event "Climate Change and Development – How to Mobilize, Transfer and Use Innovative Funding", organised by European Commission, Governments of Germany and Sweden on 1 Dec. 2008, 1:15 - 2:45 pm. Other panel members included, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany (vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-31753150203398067812009-01-15T19:50:00.003+01:002009-01-15T20:02:27.178+01:00Financing for Development, Doha: Time for Change: Building a New Global Economic ArchitectureSouth Centre was represented by Yash Tandon, the Executive Director and Vikas Nath, Head - Media and Communications at the Financing for Development Conference held in Doha, Qatar from 29 November - 2 December 2008.Time for Change: Building a New Global Economic Architecture This South Centre organised side event was held on 30 November and was attended by over 60 participants. The panelists vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266639017437539821.post-5619580721178550982009-01-15T10:01:00.004+01:002009-01-15T10:10:05.337+01:00Cuba: The Debt is UnpayableOn 3 December 2008, Professor Norman Girvan (Board Member of the South Centre), a former economic adviser to the late Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley, one of the founders of the Association of Caribbean Economists and later a former secretary-general of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), was the recipient of an honorary degree of Doctor of Economic Sciences from the University of vikas nathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13913071150082876186noreply@blogger.com0