Development

Reckonings; An American Pie

The New York Times / By PAUL KRUGMAN Talk about globalization. Michel Camdessus probably knew that his last speech as managing director of the International Monetary Fund might be accompanied by some protests. But he surely did not expect an American activist to follow him to Bangkok and throw a cream pie in his face.

United Nations Launches Capacity-Building Task Force on Environment, Trade, and Development

Bangkok, 15 February 2000 --- The UN Environment Programme and the UN Conference on Trade and Environment are launching here today a new Capacity Building Task Force that will assist developing countries in integrating their trade, environment, and development policies so that they are mutually supportive of sustainable development.

UNCTAD Tells NGOs to Fight it out with Governments

By Ranjit Dev Raj BANGKOK, Feb 15 (IPS) - Non-government organisations (NGOs), itching for a showdown at the UNCTAD X conference here, sobered up after they were advised that the real fight was between them and the elected governments in their home countries.

Thai Minister Tells NGOs "Don""t Destroy" WTO

By Robert Evans BANGKOK, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi, due to become head of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in two years, on Monday urged anti-free trade activists not to destroy his job before he takes it up.

APEC Pledges to Push Ahead with Free Trade

By Jalil Hamid BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Pacific Rim nations vowed on Monday to press ahead with free trade and set the stage for a new global trade round despite a setback at WTO talks in Seattle last year.

Trade Talks Must Address Labor Issues - U.S. Official

BRASILIA, Feb 14 (Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley said on Monday the United States is not trying to impose labor and environmental standards on the developing world, but those concerns need to be addressed in trade talks.

WTO Chief Urges Rich Nations to Help the Poor

By Robert Evans BANGKOK, Feb 13 (Reuters) - World Trade Organisation chief Mike Moore suggested on Sunday the big powers should agree to open their markets wide to goods from the poorest if they wanted to win backing for a new round of global trade talks.

IMF Chief in Cream Pie Attack at Summit

By Jason Reed BANGKOK, Thailand (Reuters) - An American protester shoved a cream pie into the face of IMF chief Michel Camdessus Sunday, while hundreds of anti-free trade activists rushed past Thai police checkpoints near a U.N. trade agency summit in Bangkok.

Study: Poor Countries Marginalized

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- The world's 48 poorest countries are failing to benefit from free trade and globalization and face worsening poverty, inequality and marginalization, a U.N. report said Sunday.

No Benefit To Poorest Countries From Free Trade-UN Report

[The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition] February 13, 2000 Dow Jones Newswires No Benefit To Poorest Countries From Free Trade-UN Report BANGKOK (AP)--The world's 48 poorest countries are failing to benefit from free trade and globalization and face worsening poverty, inequality and marginalization, a U.N. report said Sunday.