Issue No. 577, 16-30 Sept 2014
UN adopts resolutions on sovereign debt and vulture funds

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Historic UN vote on a multilateral sovereign debt mechanism
The United Nations General Assembly has agreed to work towards setting up a sovereign debt restructuring framework, the current absence of which constitutes a glaring gap in the international financial architecture.
by Bhumika Muchhala

Human Rights Council condemns activities of vulture funds
Vulture funds have come under attack at the UN’s top rights body, which adopted a resolution stressing that their “predatory” activities undermine the enjoyment of human rights in debtor countries.
by Kanaga Raja

US and allies ‘strike work’ on post-Bali, Doha
Negotiations at the WTO seem to have reached a standstill in the wake of the recent failure to push through the controversial Trade Facilitation Agreement. Who are the “intransigent” parties responsible for this state of affairs?
by Chakravarthi Raghavan

No consensus on how to take forward agriculture work
Negotiations on agricultural and industrial goods trade have been held up as the fallout from the trade-facilitation impasse at the WTO continues. Kanaga Raja reports, in the following two articles, on the deadlock in the latest round of talks in these two negotiating areas.

No consensus on advancing work on NAMA, says Chair
by Kanaga Raja

Greater flexibilities, policy space needed to meet post-2015 goals
UN development agency UNCTAD has made the case for allowing more room at national level to implement development-oriented economic policies.
by Kanaga Raja

Tackling the proliferation of patents
A rise in patent numbers due to low standards of patentability can unduly restrict legitimate competition.
by Carlos M. Correa