South Centre participates in African Group Health Workshop organized by the African Union

Dr. Xuan Li Coordinator of Innovation and Access to Knowledge Programme (IAKP), and Ms. Marion Motari, Research Fellow, IAKP at the South Centre participated in the African Group Health Workshop organized by African Union on 11-12 April 2008 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Dr. Li gave a presentation on “IPRs, Public Health and Innovation: TRIPS Flexibilities, Technical Assistance and Way Forward” while Ms. Marion Motari’s presentation was on "Options for Sustainable Financial Mechanisms to Support Medical R&D."

African Union Ministerial Conference on Trade and Finance

Dr. Yash Tandon, Executive Director of the South Centre is attending the Conference of the African Ministers of Trade and Finance taking place at the Conference Centre of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 1 - 3 April 2008. The meeting is being held in two phases. The Meeting of the Senior Officials will hold from 1-2 April 2008, followed by the Ministerial Meeting on 3rd April 2008.

The Conference of the African Ministers of Trade and Finance will dwell on the following issues: Panel Discussion on the Assessment of Interim Economic Partnership Agreements; the state of the EPA negotiations and that of the WTO negotiations; Operationalisation of Aid for Trade; Harmonisation of EPA texts and Monitoring and Evaluation of the implementation of EPAs;

Regarding the state of the EPA negotiations, the representatives of the five African Negotiating groups will present up to date reports on the status of the EPA negotiations. The focus will be on the main areas of divergences with the EU. The negotiating groups would also inform the meeting on the approach to be used in the continuation of the negotiations with the EC.