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The United States has announced that it is withdrawing its proposals on cross-border data flows, location of computing facilities, and source code from the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) negotiations on electronic commerce.

The United States, the European Union, and several South American countries allegedly blocked attempts by the Chair of the Doha agriculture negotiations to kick-start discussions on the permanent solution for public stockholding (PSH) programs for food security.

Most commodity-dependent developing countries (CDDCs) appear to be trapped in a state of commodity dependence, with diversification eluding the majority of these countries for decades, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

For centuries, colonialism has shaped global healthcare, leaving behind a legacy of disparities and injustices between the Global North and Global South that continues to exert a profound influence on the health and well-being of marginalised and indigenous populations across the globe.

Today, colonialism’s legacy is being challenged by a growing movement to decolonise the healthcare sector by shifting power to marginalised communities and empowering them to design and deliver their own care.

At a recent panel discussion hosted by the Global Health Centre of the Geneva Graduate Institute, in collaboration with Medicus Mundi, experts from across the health spectrum discussed practical steps to decolonise global health governance and give marginalised communities a greater voice and agency in their own healthcare systems.

Industry pans it, developing countries say draft “unbalanced” with a one-sided focus on prevention, falling short on obligations on response.

After more than two years of discussions on what countries would like to see in a Pandemic Accord, the Negotiating Text from the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body set up to broker this new instrument, has sought to strike a balance to in order to first draw countries into negotiations – but is being perceived as unbalanced and one-sided with a focus on prevention relative to obligations on response, diplomats said.

From suggesting provisions on pathogens access and the sharing of benefits, to language on One Health, from a new financing mechanism, to sustainable production, the draft might be able to get countries to begin text-based negotiations. Some developing countries hope to add text to strengthen the draft so that they can begin negotiations, diplomatic sources told Geneva Health Files.

 The draft negotiating text on the pandemic instrument released by the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) is unbalanced, essentially serving the interest of developed countries without any concrete deliverables on equity.

This draft text is to be considered by the 7th meeting of the INB for conversion into a formal negotiating text. The 7^th meeting of INB is to be held at the WHO Headquarters, Geneva from 6-10 November.

Article 2 Objectives

1. The general objective of this Protocol is to support the attainment of the objectives of the AfCFTA, stipulated in Article 3 of the Agreement, by establishing harmonised rules and common principles and standards that enable and support digital trade for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development and the digital transformation of the continent.

2. The specific objectives of this Protocol are to:

a. promote and facilitate intra-African digital trade by eliminating barriers to digital trade among State Parties;

b. establish clear, predictable and transparent harmonised rules, and common principles and standards for digital trade;

c. create a transparent, open, predictable, secure, and trustworthy digital trade ecosystem for businesses and consumers;

d. enhance cooperation among State Parties on matters related to digital trade;

e. establish an institutional framework for the implementation and administration of this Protocol;

f. promote common and open standards to enable the interoperability of frameworks and systems to facilitate cross-border digital trade;

The chair of the World Trade Organization’s General Council (GC) has issued a “state of play” report for the Senior Officials Meeting on 23-24 October where the key issues of MC12 TRIPS Decision extension and the permanent solution for public stockholding (PSH) programs for food security appear to have been eclipsed in the meeting’s agenda.

The facilitator overseeing the informal discussions on reforming the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement system issued a confidential zero draft text on 3 October that appears to curtail the organization’s vital enforcement function.

The United States, the European Union, and several South American countries allegedly blocked attempts by the Chair of the Doha agriculture negotiations to kick-start discussions on the permanent solution for public stockholding (PSH) programs for food security.