EVENTS

For a more comprehensive list of events in trade and sustainable development, please refer to ICTSD's web calendar at: http://www.ictsd.org/cal/index.htm. If you would like to submit an event, please email events@ictsd.ch

Coming Up: 24-30 January

23-27 January, Davos, Switzerland: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ANNUAL MEETING. The theme of this year's summit is "The Power of Collaborative Innovation." Leadership vacuums are beginning to emerge on a wide range of critical issues in the international environment. The absence of a common vision and agenda ensures that the status quo will be maintained with respect to major global challenges - ironic given the ubiquity of knowledge and rapidity of change in our networked world. The forum will attempt to catalyse the creation of platforms for like-minded communities to initiate necessary changes together. Internet: http://www.weforum.org/en/events/AnnualMeeting2008/index.htm.

24 January, Geneva, Switzerland: TRADE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. This conference concludes a 14-month research program the relationship between Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and the WTO agreements, with a particular emphasis on technology transfer and the Doha Round negotiations, conducted by the University of Geneva's Law Faculty and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies with cooperation from the United Nations Environment Programme (Economics and Trade Branch), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the International Network on Environmental Compliance and Enforcement. Funding has been provided by the Geneva International Academic Network (RUIG/GIAN). Contact Urs Thomas, e-mail: urs.thomas@droit.unige.ch, tel: +41 22 379 8491, +41 22 329 6730.

24-25 January, Bangkok, Thailand: AID FOR TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT: GLOBAL AND REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES: UNCTAD XII PRE-EVENT. Organised under the auspices of the Working Group on Trade of the United Nations Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs. At the pre-event, the major United Nations agencies active in development cooperation and long-standing providers of trade-related technical assistance and capacity-building will discuss ways to sustain the momentum of moves to implement the Aid for Trade initiative and the supportive role to be played by the United Nations system in promoting development and helping to bring about a reduction in poverty, to which Member States committed themselves in the Millennium Declaration and the outcome of the 2005 World Summit. The event should be of particular interest to government officials and representatives of the private sector dealing with trade agreements and negotiations. Internet: http://www.unctad.org/Templates/meeting.asp?intItemID=1942&lang=1&m=14941&info=not.

29 January, Geneva, Switzerland: TECHNICAL AND INFORMAL WORKSHOP ON WTO DISCIPLINES ON FISHERIES SUBSIDIES: ELEMENTS OF THE CHAIR'S DRAFT TEXT. This meeting is organised by the UN Environment Programme, WWF, Oceana and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development from 9h00-17h30 at the International Environment House II. The chair of the WTO Negotiating Group on Rules recently circulated a draft text, which includes potential disciplines on fisheries subsidies. As part of the effort to facilitate discussion on the merits and implications of the Chair's draft text, this workshop aims to provide an opportunity for informal technical discussion and to allow for elaboration and exploration of issues in a non-negotiating context. The discussion will be conducted under "Chatham House Rules," i.e., statements will be reported but not attributed to speakers. To participate, please register with Cecile de Gardelle at cdegardelle@ictsd.ch or by calling +41-22-917 8755. Further information is available online at http://www.ictsd.org/dlogue/2008-01-29/2008-01-29-desc.htm.

WTO Events

An updated list of forthcoming WTO meetings is posted at: http://www.wto.org/meets_public/meets_e.pdf. Please bear in mind that dates and times of WTO meetings are often changed, and that the WTO does not always announce the important informal meetings of the different bodies. Unless otherwise indicated, all WTO meetings are held at the WTO, Centre William Rappard, rue de Lausanne 154, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland, and are open to WTO Members and accredited observers only.

25 January: WORKING PARTY ON THE ACCESSION OF UKRAINE

28 January: TRADE POLICY REVIEW BODY - GHANA

29-30 January: ZEROING (DS350) PANEL PUBLIC VIEWING

30 January: WORKING PARTY ON THE ACCESSION OF BHUTAN

Other Upcoming Events

30-31 January, Tokyo, Japan: A CHANGE IN CLIMATE FOR WHALES: IS THERE A COMMON WAY FORWARD? - SECOND PEW-SPONSORED WHALE SYMPOSIUM. This meeting follows the first Pew Whale Symposium held in New York in April 2007 and will precede a special meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) on the future of the whale conservation regime at the end of February, as decided at the last annual meeting of the IWC. Internet: http://www.pewwhales.org/tokyosymposium/