UNCTAD XIII: Which role and mandate next?

WDEV Recent Issues

Issue 1-2/Jan-Jun 2017

The end of US hegemony + Financing for development? Mostly not! + Turkey at the crossroads

Issue 1-4/Jan-Dec 2016

The Brexit is not gender-neutral + Poverty reduction at risk + ITUC Rights Index 2016 + Europe's multiple crises

Issue 3-4/Jul-Dec 2015

Left losses in Latin America + World Bank's gender strategy + Markel's victory in Greece

Issue 1-2/Jan-Jun 2015

Tax avoidance and investment policy + Alternatives to stagnation in Europe + New labour standard + Rehabilitating the c word

Issue 4/Oct-Dec 2014

Challenging 2015 + PPP and infrastructure + The case of Ebola + OECD and tax avoidance + Juncker's new European Commission

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WDEV Highlights

Enthronisation of an ultra-presidential regime?

At first glance, everyday life seems not to have changed in Istanbul. The streets are congested; people hurry to the ferry or the bus. For weeks, there has been no terror attack. Nevertheless, there are some visible changes. There are much more policemen in the streets. In some days, the Istiklal Caddesi, the main shopping street on the European side, seems to be under a state of siege. At every street corner, there is police van with the blue light switched on.

Financing for development? Mostly not!

Recent disturbing trends in international finance have particularly problematic implications, especially for developing countries. The new United Nations report, World Economic Situation and Prospects 2017 (WESP 2017), is the only recent report of a multilateral inter-governmental organization to recognize these problems, especially as they are relevant to the financing requirements for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The end of US hegemony

The Trump government signals unequivocally the end of international US hegemony. An international hegemon is able to define rules that find relatively broad acceptance internationally and plays a role in safeguarding international economic stability. The Trump government announced measures that go against the present economic rules while not proposing new ones.

Global employment crisis: 2030 Agenda under threat

The global deficit in quality jobs and deteriorating economic conditions in a number of regions threatens to undo decades of progress in poverty reduction, warns a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO) 2016.

The closing of democratic space for trade unions

Weakening of workers' rights in most regions is being aggravated by severe crackdowns on freedom of speech and assembly, according to the 2016 Global Rights Index. Restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly, including severe crackdowns in some countries, increased by 22%, with 50 out of 141 countries surveyed recording restrictions.