– Newsletter – July 2008 –

The Geneva Office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) presents its newsletter, designed to inform you of, recent and upcoming events and developments at the Geneva-based international organizations and new publications. If you do not want to receive this newsletter please Unsubscribe.

Das Genfer Büro der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)  freut sich, Ihnen unseren jüngsten Newsletter vorzustellen. Dieser enthält Informationen  über unsere  Veranstaltungen und Neuerscheinungen und bringt Sie auf den neuesten Stand von Entwicklungen in Genfer internationalen Organisationen. Sollten Sie diesen Newsletter nicht erhalten wollen, dann können Sie Ihn hier abbestellen.

 

Index    |Upcoming Events | Recent Events | Publications | Subscribe |

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Upcoming Events

Please note that participation in all events is by invitation only.

19 August 2008, Geneva | FES Parallel Event and book launch at the 9th session of the Working Group (WG) on the RIght to Development (RTD)  

The political debate around the legal standing of the Right to Development divides political actors from North and South. An expert meeting hosted by FES in January looked at the issue from a rather neutral, scholarly perspective. The different ideas and concepts as to possible legal frameworks of the RTD that emerged from this meeting are now available in print. We will launch the new publication Implementing the right to development – the role of international law, edited by Stephen P. Marks at this parallel event during the WG session on the RTD, which will feature a panel discussion with the editors.

25 September 2008, Geneva | FES / CUTS International / Evian Group
session At The Public Forum of the WOrld Trade Organization (WTO)

FES Geneva, CUTS International and the Evian Group will co-organize a session at the WTO Public Forum on the subject of “What Future for Global Economic Governance – Potential Role of the WTO?” Panelists will include Bangladesh Ambassador Debapriya Bhattacharya, Evian Group Member Simon Evenett, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) representative James Howard and Winfried Veit, Director of FES Geneva, who will present the foundation’s scenario-building project on “Global Economic Governance 2020.”

3-5 October 2008, Lausanne | FES / Evian Group Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue V

For the 5th year, FES and the Evian Group are joining hands to convene a Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue with expert networks from trade and environment – government, business, academia, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and trade unions. The subject of this year’s meeting is “trade and climate change: confrontation or collaboration?”

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Recent Events

27-29 June 2008, Geneva | Scenario-Building Workshop on “Global Economic Governance 2020”

Twenty-two members of the FES scenario team on “Global Economic Governance 2020” gathered for the weekend in Chateau de Bossey near Geneva for their first workshop. Prepared by the Geneva-based core team (representatives from NGOs, diplomatic missions, academia and trade unions) Additional members came to the workshop from China, Russia, Mexico, USA, South Africa, Egypt, Germany and France. During the workshop, José Salazar, Executive Director of the Employment Sector at the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Yash Tandon, Executive Director of the South Centre – were interviewed by team members. The team concluded its work by identifying “driving forces” and “critical uncertainties” and started with a first scenario outline. The next scenario-building workshop is planned for 14-16 November 2008. The team expects to come up with the final scenarios early next year. è download

4 June 2008, Geneva | ILO/FES Interactive panel discussion on “social dimensions of public procurement”

On 4 June, Anke Fuchs, Chairwoman of the FES, opened a panel discussion that the FES and the ILO co-hosted at the Annual Labor Conference on “Social Dimensions of Public Procurement” (link conference program). Given that public investment via public contracts represents a high proportion of formal economic activity, there are a variety of attempts to reform public procurement law both in developed and developing countries that focus on ways to guarantee transparent and corruption-free tendering procedures. One of the mechanisms to structure public procurement is the ILO Convention 94 è download  which, in contrast to other instruments, emphasizes the social standards that public authorities should be obliged to respect when spending public money.

Panelists represented a variety of organizations including the European Parliament, the African Development Bank, employers and workers organizations; all stated the difficulties in safeguarding labor standards given the globalization of economic activity, sub-chain contracting and the overall pressure to get the most for the investment. They agreed nonetheless that social standards need to become integral part of public contracts. President of the German Federation of Trade Unions Michael Sommer gave the closing remarks, highlighting the International Labor Movement’s views on the issue. The event was attended by almost 200 people, including a journalist group that FES had invited for a seminar to study labor, human rights and trade issues in Geneva. è download

2-18 June 2008, Geneva | 8th session of the UN human rights Council (HRC) and related FES events

The 8th session of the HRC continued its practice to follow the resolution on institution-building alongside the pursuit of its substantive work. At this session it consolidated emerging practices (panels within the session time of the HRC) and assumed a new function (the adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) outcome). While the UPR plenary session could have been a chance for political unity, due to actions by a group of states intended to reduce independence of Special Procedures and of NGOs, political tensions remain. See our report. è download our report

During the 8th session of the HRC, FES held two parallel events: a “Strategy Meeting on Multinational Business and Human Rights” with representatives of trade unions and NGOs on 10 June and a public panel discussion on “Lessons Learned on Civil Society Involvement in the UPR Process” on 13 June, jointly organized with the Human Rights Committee of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO). This event concluded with suggestions for further civil society engagement in the UPR, including media use and the special role of National Human Rights Institutions. Additional information can be found on our webpage and here for è download

 

5-9 May 2008, Geneva | FES Information Seminar on “World Trade and Sustainable Development” for Spanish-speaking Journalists

FES Geneva in cooperation with WTO, UN organizations, NGOs and Global Union Federations regularly organizes information seminars for journalists from developing countries. From 5-9 May, 15 Latin American journalists attended the seminar and discussed issues such as the current food crisis, regional vs. multilateral trade agreements, climate change and the social dimension of globalization. è download

1 May 2008, Geneva | Consultation on trade and human rights

On 1 May, FES held an informal consultation on the impact of international trade agreements on the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights with the UN Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) and experts from NGOs, ITUC, WTO and national delegations. While a general impact of trade policies on human rights is usually acknowledged, only in few cases is it possible to establish a direct causal link between a certain trade agreement and an infringement on the economic, social and cultural rights of individuals or groups. The motivation for this consultation was to get closer to the core of this issue. The dialogues focused especially on the expected development gains through trade, the Right to Health in relation to the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the issue of guaranteeing social protection in the domestic application of international trade rules. è download

29 April 2008, Geneva | NGO Meeting on Human Rights with GErman Minister of State, Gernot Erler

The meeting allowed for an exchange of information and opinion on the Human Rights Council and its Universal Periodic Review mechanism between Geneva-based international NGOs and MP Gernot Erler. Direct linkages of this kind are indispensable to keep the UN debates meaningful for national processes. A background paper on the HRC and FES’ related activities prepared for the meeting is available in German. è download

28 April 2008, Geneva | Geneva Centre for Security Policy/FES Public panel Discussion “Forty years of NPT: What is at stake?”

In light of the Preparatory Committee meeting for the 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference which opened on 28 April, FES and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy organized a Public Panel discussion with Gernot Erler, Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office, Ambassador Sergio Duarte, UN High Representative for Disarmament and Professor William Potter from the Monterrey Institute of International Studies. In front of an audience of about 80 experts and stakeholders from the security realm, Erler deplored the dangers of the proliferation of nuclear weapons as one of the greatest risks for international security. Duarte was rather pessimistic concerning the future and effectiveness of the Nonproliferation Treaty. This view was shared by Potter, who nevertheless predicted a greater involvement of the USA in nuclear disarmament under a new American president. è download

24 - 25 April 2008, Geneva | IOM / FES / iDEAS CENTRE/NCCR Workshop “Labor mobility: A win-win-win model for trade and development”

A workshop on “Labor mobility: a win win-win model for trade and development: The case of Senegal” was held on 24-25 April in Geneva. Approximately 25 experts from Europe and Senegal participated at this workshop, which was held under the auspices of FES, but is in fact a working group within the Geneva Trade and Development Forum. Marion Panizzon from the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), author of the case study on Senegal, argues that if well-managed, migration can be a factor of development and growth for developing countries. Beyond remittances, labor migration today has the potential, especially if circular, of transforming developing countries into knowledge economies by raising skill levels, fostering entrepreneurship and strengthening global networks, as evidenced in India, Mexico, Mali, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand. Bilateral labor agreements are a relatively new means to better organize circular migration flows and allow for legal migration opportunities. è download

17-25 April 2008, ACCRA | FES Side Events at the 12th United Nations conference on trade and development (UNCTAD XII)

From 20-25 April, more than 4000 representatives from governments, business, civil society, academia and media gathered in Accra for the 12th session of UNCTAD. The quadrennial conference concluded with the adoption of a short political declaration (“Acrra Declaration”) and a longer document (“Accra Accord”), which includes an analysis of global economic developments and UNCTAD’s work programme for the next four years. Prior to the main conference, a Civil Society Forum was held from 17-19 April and was attended by approximately 300 participants.

 

On 19 April, FES and the UNCTAD Secretariat co-organized the UNCTAD XII Pre-Event on “Development Strategies in Africa.” Leading African economists discussed the main challenges and opportunities for development in the region. The main message was that Africa’s recent economic performance had been good but not good enough in terms of sustainability and inclusiveness, and that fresh policies were needed to ensure sustained and more inclusive growth, development and poverty reduction. è download

 

On 24 April, FES organized in cooperation with CUTS International a panel debate on “How to Mainstream Development in the Multilateral Trading System?” A key message was that policy space and flexibility are core elements of fair and development-friendly multilateral trading rules. Moreover, developing countries should be provided with trade-related development assistance in order to reap the benefits of increased trading opportunities. è download

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Publications

The UNiversal Periodic Review / Theodor Rathgeber – Berlin: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 2008. – 9 p. (Dialogue on globalization; 6: Briefing paper – Geneva)

In this Briefing Paper, the author describes and analyses the Universal Periodic Review mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council. He points out the positive, negative and ambiguous aspects so far observed during the early stages of this mechanism, concluding with suggestions for further action for NGOs and other stakeholders. è download

An Arabic translation of the text will be posted on our webpage shortly

Viet Nam, human rights and trade: implications of Viet Nam's accession to the WTO / David Kinley & Hai Nguyen - Berlin: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 2008. – 43 p.. = 1,2 MB PDF-File. - (Dialogue on globalization; 39: Occasional paper – Geneva) Electronic ed.: Berlin; Bonn: FES, 2008, ISBN 978-3-89892-909-7.  è download

Viet Nam's WTO accession comes in a time of global increases in food prices. Protests by the poor in dozens of countries have led governments to try to counterbalance market mechanisms. Against this background, Kinley and Nguyen discuss the "Right to Food". Furthermore, the authors look into the question whether trade liberalization made an impact on the human rights situation in Viet Nam. Nguyen and Kinley acknowledge the positive effects of trade liberalization on the Vietnamese economy, but argue that the gains have not been equally shared by the whole population of Viet Nam. They claim that poverty remains a crucial problem, especially for rural and vulnerable population groups.

 

More publications are available on our webpage.

 

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The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung office in Geneva is part of the overall program “Dialogue on Globalization” since 2002.

¡ Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung ¡ Director: Ms. Türkan Karakurt/Dr. Winfried Veit ¡ 6 bis, chemin du Point-du-Jour ¡ 1202 Geneva, Switzerland ¡

¡ Tel. 0041 22 733 3450 ¡ Fax: 0041 22 733 3545 ¡ E-mail: info@fes-geneva.org ¡ www.fes-geneva.org ¡

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