In Depth

Whose Freedom? Millenium Development Goals as if people matter!

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:51:23 GMT

Critique of MDGs by Actionaid International, 2005

AGENDA October

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:05:04 GMT

- Signature of ECOWAS-CE agreement on trade in goods and development cooperation (tbc)

- 1 EU-Caribbean Joint Ministerial Council, Barbados (tbc)

- 22-24 European Development Days, Stockholm

- 26-28 Pacific Forum Economic Ministers Meeting, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Sacu takes united stand on EPAs

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:01:11 GMT

02 October 2009 - The Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) has decided to stay optimistic and tackle the unresolved issues in the economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) as a team to try and overcome the obstacles preventing Namibia and South Africa from signing even an interim pact with the bloc. The EPA has been singled out as a priority and the Sacu Council has requested the Sacu Commission, under chairmanship of Finance Permanent Secretary Calle Schlettwein, to come up with a strategy and timelines regarding the controversial trade pact.

They Want to Silence Us: The Impact of Governance on Trade and Rural Development in Cameroon

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:07:11 GMT

One of the major obstacles to the "harmonious and favourable integration" of ACP countries in global trade is lack of governance. Contributing to global trade presupposes many requirements that several ACP countries can’t meet due to poor governance, observed both in these countries’ institutions (executive, parliament, and justice) and in international fora where global trade rules are defined.

Launching the COMESA Customs Union: The Secretary General Talks

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:00:55 GMT

TNI meets with Sindiso Ngwenya, Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), to discuss the much anticipated launch of the Customs Union and the signing of the Interim EPAs

EU-West Africa EPA: negotiators met in Brussels

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:58:11 GMT

European and West African negotiators met in Brussels from 21 to 25 September to discuss the way forward towards a regional Economic Partnership Agreement.

Stop EPAs Day: 7 years to blame

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:41:41 GMT

The 27th September 2009 marked the 7th anniversary of the launch of the EPA talks. Since 2004 civil society organisations in the EU and the ACP countries have declared this Stop EPAs Day, a day of protest against the EU approach to EPAs.

AGENDA September:

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:35:39 GMT

September:

· Negotiations for the final EPA, incl. with South Africa and Angola (venue/date tbc)

· 11 EU– South Africa Summit, South Africa

· 16-18 ILO/CARICOM Workshop on International Trade Negotiations, FTAs and the Decent Work Agenda, Portof- Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

· 21-26 EU-West Africa EPA negotiations (venue tbc)

· 22-23 7th meeting of Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Trade Negotiating Group, Saint Lucia

· 23-25 CARIFORUM/French Caribbean Overseas Regions/ European Overseas Countries and Territories TF on EPA, Martinique

· 28 17th Session of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly and Intercessional Meetings of the ACP-EU JPA, Brussels

G8 Summit “L’Aquila” Joint Statement on Global Food Security

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:34:41 GMT

The heads of state as well as government, international and regional organisations approved the L’Aquila Initiative on Global Food Security on 10 July 2009.

Declaration of the Platform of West African Civil Society Organizations on the Cotonou Agreement (POSCAO-AC)

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:33:13 GMT

EPA Negotiations: West Africa must not accept a headlong rush! On June 17, 2009, West African chief negotiators and those from the European Union came to the conclusion that it was impossible to conclude the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).