Issue
No. 544/545 (1-31 May 2013)
SDG
working group discusses conceptualization, poverty eradication
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Formulation
of SDGs promises to be challenging
Discussions
at a UN working group in April revealed major areas of interest, differences
and concerns among member states as they seek to draw up a set of
Sustainable Development Goals for the international community
by
Ranja Sengupta
South
emphasizes equity and means of implementation
The
first half of the OWG session was devoted to addressing the conceptual
aspects of the SDGs, reports Ranja Sengupta.
Poverty
eradication must be central to the SDGs
The
talks during the second half of the OWG meeting underscored the need
to prioritize poverty eradication in the SDG framework.
by
Ranja Sengupta
GC
Chair recommends Azevedo of Brazil as next WTO D-G
Brazil’s
ambassador to the WTO Roberto Azevedo will become the next head of
the trade body after coming through a selection process helmed by
the WTO General Council Chair.
by
Kanaga Raja
WTO,
dubious prize for a Latin American?
Writing
before the conclusion of the selection process, Gustavo Capdevila
outlined the considerable challenges awaiting the new WTO Director-General.
Lamy
panel on future of trade issues report
A
report by a panel formed by the WTO head to look into “the future
of trade” has come under fire from development advocates for what
they say are wrong-headed proposals for trade and WTO reform.
by
Kanaga Raja
Systemic
reforms, global economic partnership crucial, says South
During
a recent UN meeting of multilateral economic bodies, developing countries
underlined the need for a global development framework that encompasses
deep-rooted financial and trade reform.
by
Bhumika Muchhala
South
reiterates need for debt workout, human rights approach
The
importance of debt restructuring processes was highlighted at a recent
UN meeting on external debt sustainability and development.
by
Bhumika Muchhala
G24
calls for action by advanced economies
Meeting
on the eve of the IMF-World Bank spring meetings in April, ministers
from the developing-country G24 grouping put forward their views on
issues relating to, among other subjects, macroeconomic policy, IMF
governance and development financing.
by
Bhumika Muchhala
The
BRICS option
Whether
a new set of financial institutions initiated by the middle income
BRICS countries will offer a viable alternative to the IMF and World
Bank remains to be seen.
by
Bretton Woods Project
Developing
resilience to external shocks
United
Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General
Supachai Panitchpakdi stresses the importance of reducing developing
economies’ vulnerability to external shocks.
The
free-market fundamentalists are now in Europe
A
combination of fiscal austerity and financial speculation could spell
economic peril, cautions Roberto Savio.
International
investment disputes on the rise
Foreign
investors are initiating more dispute cases against host-country governments
before international arbitration tribunals, finds a UN development
body.
by
Kanaga Raja
Dealing
with the transnational corporations
Threatened
by billion-dollar lawsuits arising from investment treaties, several
governments have formed a new grouping to deal with transnational
companies.
by
Martin Khor
Serious
threat to Asian economic model
The
successful East Asian model of “state-driven capitalism” is being
threatened by proposals in the TPPA trade agreement to remove possible
advantages of state-owned enterprises.
by
Martin Khor
Momentum
builds in US, beyond to end corporate tax evasion
Measures
to combat tax dodging by corporations are in the works in the US and
elsewhere
by
Carey L Biron
