CONFÉRENCE DES NATIONS UNIES SUR
LE COMMERCE ET LE DÉVELOPPEMENT
UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE
ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT
DTL/KTCD/Misc/2010/1
(10/17ams)
NOTIFICATION
Short courses on key international economic issues
for delegates from permanent missions in Geneva
First semester 2010
Following the successful series of short courses on key international economic issues in
2009, the UNCTAD secretariat is pleased to announce that another series for delegates and
other staff from permanent missions in Geneva will take place in the first half of 2010.
The aim is to give permanent missions the opportunity to take part in a shorter, more
focused version of the regional three-week course that deals with key issues on the international
economic agenda. Delegates attending the courses will become better acquainted with the most
topical issues in the main areas of UNCTAD’s work. More detailed information on the content
of individual courses, and a schedule, can be found in the attached programme.
The secretariat has planned three courses, to be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Palais
des Nations on Friday, 26 March 2010 (room XXVI); Friday, 16 April 2010 (room XXV); and
Friday, 28 May 2010 (room XXV).
The courses will be delivered in English, with simultaneous interpretation into Arabic,
French and Spanish.
The secretariat invites permanent missions to nominate delegates and other staff who
follow matters pertaining to UNCTAD or the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva to
attend these courses, using the attached application form. The form should be submitted at least
one week before the date of the course. Courses will begin promptly at 10 a.m. to allow
sufficient time for debate after the presentations.
Any queries about the programme should be addressed to:
Ms. Vlasta Macku, e-mail: [email protected], tel: 022 917 6227; or
Mr. Mohan Panicker, e-mail: [email protected], tel: 022 917 2561.
(signed)
Supachai Panitchpakdi
Secretary-General of UNCTAD
3 March 2010
Short courses on key international economic issues
First semester 2010
Programme
26 March 2010
Migration and development
With international migration flows now accelerating as globalization and the interdependence
of nations deepen, awareness of migration as an important factor influencing economic and
social development has increased significantly. Policymakers now actively seek to put effective
migration policies in place at national and international levels to strengthen the positive and
minimize the negative development impacts of migration.
The first part of the course will review the motivations behind international migration; recent
trends in international migration; and the development-related challenges and opportunities of
migration in developed and developing countries. The second part will then review policy
responses to migration. It will examine national experiences, including various policies that
countries have implemented to maximize the positive development impacts of international
migration, such as those aimed at strengthening diaspora networks and their capacity to deliver
enhanced development benefits in both sending and receiving countries. Special consideration
will be given to the impact of the financial crisis on migrants and on remittance flows to
developing countries, and to the role that circular migration can play in expanding global and
regional services trade, and at the same time, in facilitating the transfer of technology and skills
to less developed countries.
Delivered by: Division on International Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities
16 April 2010
Trade agreements between developing and developed countries
Bilateral trade agreements (BTAs) and regional trade agreements (RTAs) have proliferated
worldwide to become a prominent feature of today’s trading environment. While RTAs have
become increasingly powerful in liberalizing trade in goods and services, BTAs are flourishing
between developed countries, and between developed and developing countries. A key policy
challenge for developing countries that negotiate RTAs and BTAs is to maximize the beneficial
effects of such processes for development. Another is to ensure coherence in the approach amid
the bilateral, regional, interregional and multilateral processes.
2
This course seeks to explore key policy challenges for developing countries engaged in trade
agreements with developed countries. It will look into recent trends with respect to
liberalization and regulatory policy-related commitments in such agreements, and will discuss
potential implications for developing countries’ growth and development prospects in the
context of the current economic crisis. It will also analyse developments related to the
economic partnership agreements (EPAs) between the European Union and the African,
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States.
Delivered by: Division on International Trade in Goods and Services, and Commodities
28 May 2010
Transport and trade facilitation: infrastructure and services to enhance the
competitiveness of landlocked and transit developing countries
Access to efficient transport services, combined with conducive and transparent cross-border
operations, is vital for developing countries’ export competitiveness in overseas markets. In this
regard, landlocked developing countries are confronted by particular challenges. These include
the availability and quality of transport infrastructure, the negotiation and enforcement of
bilateral and regional transit arrangements, and multiple border-crossing procedures and
controls in neighbouring transit developing countries. The latter, for their part, may not always
be in a position to provide the necessary investments easily. A collaborative approach is
needed, where both the landlocked and the transit developing countries seek win–win solutions
to benefit from the synergies and economies of scale of their combined overseas trade.
In this context, the course will first provide an introduction to the logistics of international trade
and discuss the various relationships between trade, transport costs and effective access to
global transport networks. Secondly, key issues of trade and transit facilitation will be
introduced, with a special focus on international transit. Thirdly, the course will present
developments and best practices in transit infrastructure and seaports serving the overseas trade
of landlocked developing countries. Finally, collaborative approaches for public and private
stakeholders in landlocked and transit developing countries will be presented.
Delivered by: Trade Logistics Branch, Division on Technology and Logistics
Short courses on key international economic issues
First semester 2010
REGISTRATION FORM
(please print or type)
Surname:______________________________ First name: _________________________
Middle initial: ____________________________________ Gender (F/M): ____________
Job title: _________________________________________________________________
Permanent mission (country):
________________________________________________________________________
Postal address:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Tel.:_______________________________ Fax: _________________________________
E-mail address: ___________________________________________________________
I would like to register for the following courses (please tick those that interest you):
□
□
□
26 March 2010 – Migration and development
16 April 2010 – Trade agreements between developing and developed countries
28 May 2010 – Transport and trade facilitation: infrastructure and services to
enhance the competitiveness of landlocked and transit developing countries
I would like to receive reminders prior to each course (tick the appropriate box):
□ by telephone
□ by e-mail
□ by fax
Registration forms should be sent to:
Ms. Vlasta Macku
Chief
Policy Capacity-Building Section
Division on Technology and Logistics
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Fax: +41 (0) 22 917 00 50
E-mail: [email protected]
□ no reminders