Issue
No. 596 (1-15 July 2015)
UN
members at odds over development agenda
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North-South
differences persist over “political declaration” of post-2015 agenda
The
UN member states are split, mainly between developed and developing
countries, as they seek to craft a document setting a global post-2015
development agenda due to be adopted in September. These divisions
were in evidence during the latest round of talks in June, as Mirza
Alas reports in the following two articles.
Members
divided over means of implementation
by Mirza Alas
Nairobi
meet can’t end Doha Round without “credible” developmental outcomes
Meeting with trade diplomats from selected countries on 1 July, the
Kenyan foreign minister, who will chair this December’s WTO Ministerial
Conference in Nairobi, said the Doha Round talks cannot be wrapped
up without “credible” development-friendly results.
by D. Ravi Kanth
Canadian
move for “new landing zones” spurned
A Canadian initiative to advance the Doha Round agriculture talks
has met with rejection from major developing countries for veering
from existing mandates for the Round.
by D. Ravi Kanth
US,
EU block permanent solution on food security public stockholding
The US and the EU have come out against a proposal in the WTO aimed
at enabling developing countries to maintain public food stocks for
food security purposes.
by D. Ravi Kanth
UN
body to elaborate treaty on TNCs/human rights holds first session
As a UN body tasked with drawing up a global instrument on business
and human rights met for the first time, it was reminded of its “ultimate
objective”: strengthening the protection of human rights against corporate
abuses.
by Kanaga Raja
Despite
scepticism, UN hails its anti-poverty programme
The UN has lauded the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals
in tackling global poverty, but civil society activists are less impressed.
by Thalif Deen
Financial
transaction tax could boost development goals
Taxing financial trades has the potential to not only curb speculation
in the financial markets but also generate funds for development.
by Nora Happel