From May 11 to 22, students and lecturers from the master course on international trade law, policy and services of the University of the West Indies (Shridath Ramphal Centre) took part in a UNCTAD Vi tailor-made study tour designed to complement their academic studies with exposure to the negotiation process and the workings of trade and development international organizations based in Geneva, Switzerland.

In particular, the programme included discussions on: the World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute settlement mechanisms; intellectual property rights and development; the effect of the global economic crisis on developing countries; the ongoing WTO negotiations on agriculture; UNCTAD's work on competition law within the Caribbean; the current challenges in the WTO's Doha Development Round; the state of play of the WTO services negotiations; introduction to the work of the International Trade Centre (ITC) and its databases on trade and foreign direct investment; introduction to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its work on global health security; corporate social responsibility; as well as UNCTAD's work on transport and trade facilitation.

Sessions were led by experts from the IGO sector such as the UNCTAD, the WTO, the ITC, the WHO, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Students also got introduced to the work of other organisations based in Geneva, such as the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), the Advisory Centre on WTO Law (ACWL) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

A round table with the ambassadors and their representatives from the Geneva based Caribbean missions concluded the study tour by providing the students of the UWI the unique opportunity to ask questions on the challenges and experiences faced by these missions in the Geneva based negotiation processes.

Monday 11

Presentations

• A Brief Overview of UNCTAD and the WTO, presentation by Joseph Clements, Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD Vi
• A Trade and Development Indicators' System for Strategic Assessment and Monitoring, presentation by Constatine Bartel, Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD Division on Technology and Logistics
• Effects of Global Financial Crisis on Developing Countries, presentation by Michael Herrmann, Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD Macroeconomics and Development Policies

Wednesday 13

Presentations

• Competition Policy and Law, presentation by Sally van Siclen, UNCTAD Competition Department, Policies and Consumer Policies Branch
• UNCTAD work on Competition Law and Policy: The case of the Caribbean small economies, presentation by Ana Maria Alvares, UNCTAD/DITC Competition and Consumer Policies Branch
• Intellectual Property Rights Implications for Development, presentation by Fleur Claessens, Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD Vi
• Local Production of Pharmeceuticals in Developing Countries, presentation by Christoph Spennemann, Legal Expert, UNCTAD Division on Investment and Enterprise

Documents

• Competition Policy and Small Economies, Note by the Secretariat of the OECD
• Small Economies and Competition Policy, OECD Global Forum on Competition
• United States v. Dentsply International, Inc., UNCTAD Preparation
• United States v. Dentsply International, Inc. Notes, UNCTAD Preparation

 

Thursday 14

Presentations

• Doha Development Agenda, presentation by Joan Apecu, Economic Affairs Officer, WTO
• Trade and Finance Crisis, presentation by Marc Auboin, Counsellor, Economic Research and Statistics Division, WTO
• Services and the GATTS, presentation by Martin Roy, Councellor, Trade in Services Division, WTO

 

Friday 15

Presentations

• WIPO Development Agenda, presentation by Esteban Burrone, Program Officer, Development Agenda Coordination Division, WIPO
• Introduction to IOM Services and Mode 4, presentation by Sophie Nonnenmacher, Migration Policy Specialist, IOM

 

Monday 18

Presentations

• Trade Facilitation: An Introduction, presentation by Jan Hoffmann, UNCTAD Division on Technology and Logistics
• Trade Facilitation: Links to Logistics and Development, presentation by Jan Hoffmann, UNCTAD Division on Technology and Logistics
• The Demand and Supply of International Transport Services, presentation by Jan Hoffmann, UNCTAD Division on Technology and Logistics
• Determinants of Transport Costs, presentation by Jan Hoffmann, UNCTAD Division on Technology and Logistics