|
Welcome and Project introduction
Garth le Pere' in his welcome and introduction gave an overview of the Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD) collaboration with Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) Centre for International, Trade, Economics and Environment (CITEE) and outlined the project value. He mentioned the project is intrinsically interesting, as it occurs against a backdrop of significant developments. Almost ten years of UN Summit conferences have culminated in a broad paradigm, which defines elements of a new way of thinking about development. There is an interesting global discourse on how to situate development in international organisations and how to embed it in the thinking of the multilateral system. In his view the apotheosis of that thinking was the conference on Financing for Development at Monterey and the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In addition allied to the shaping of development thinking is the global development agenda, which for the first time also enshrines development in trade relations. While the implementation of this agenda is problematic, it also defines a new kind of parameter on how development can shape thinking around trade and trade-related issues.
However many challenges remain as revealed in the New York Summit in September 2005. It would seem that the advances made around the MDGs have experienced a setback, and that the commitment made by developed countries has been somewhat diluted. Equally worrisome is the apparent backsliding on the part of the G8 with respect to their commitments. This is the broad background against which to consider the linkages that the current project examines.
By Dr Garth le Pere, IGD
|
|
Related documents
- 155Kb ~ 1 min (21 pages)
