WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION's update

 

14 Apr 2023 Latest news

Dear maria CHADZIDAKIS VAVOURANAKIS, Below are the news items published today on the WTO public website

NEWS ITEM DDG González: To make trade more inclusive, make it easier, faster and less costly In a keynote address delivered to the “Rethinking World Trade 2023” conference held at Georgetown Law School in Washington D.C. on 13 April, Deputy Director-General Anabel González highlighted the importance of a strong, revitalized and reformed WTO to bring more people, businesses and communities from the margins into the mainstream of the global economy. “More inclusive trade means a world trading system that is more adaptable and resilient, that enjoys broad-based support and that is relevant to the real-life challenges of our time,” she said. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM Data Blog, by the WTO Secretariat Tariffs applied by WTO members have almost halved since 1996 Blog   ⟶   NEWS ITEM New report calls for G20 coordination to address causes of food insecurity A new report issued by the WTO, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank Group (WBG) on 13 April urges the G20 to coordinate efforts on tackling the root causes of food insecurity. The report emphasizes the need for a unified approach and suggests that the G20 is in a unique position to facilitate collective action. It recommends focusing on improving the supply of development finance to support agriculture investments and to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth in rural areas. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM WTO offers venue for cooperation amid geostrategic competition, says DDG González Without trade cooperation we cannot make meaningful progress toward climate and other global development goals, Deputy Director-General Anabel González said at “The New Face of Globalization” event held at the George Washington University on 11 April. She highlighted the importance of reinforcing the WTO’s role in managing trade tensions and promoting the development of common approaches in areas where WTO members’ national and shared interests are aligned. News item   ⟶   NEWS ITEM United States formally accepts Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies The United States deposited its instrument of acceptance for the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 11 April, making it the fourth WTO member, and the first among the large fishing nations, to do so. The formal acceptance by the United States marks a pivotal moment for the approaching entry into force of the landmark agreement for ocean sustainability, said Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as she received the instrument from U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai in Washington, D.C. Acceptances from two-thirds of WTO members are needed for the Agreement to come into effect. News item   ⟶

nasa's EARTHDATA DISCOVERY

 

EARTHDATA DISCOVERY OPEN ACCESS FOR OPEN SCIENCE | APRIL 2023                               Carbon Comes Full Circle           Two investigations—one using field campaigns, one using commercial smallsat data—are helping put the cycle in carbon cycle.           Taking a Deep Dive for Ocean Carbon Data           The NASA-led Export Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing (EXPORTS) project investigates how organic carbon is biologically produced, processed, and stored in the depths of the ocean.           NASA Counts 9.9 billion Trees in Africa with the help of Commercial Satellite Data           Results from this research establish a framework for mapping carbon stocks at the level of individual trees at a sub-continental scale, help improve ecosystem models, and provide a tool for restoration efforts.                         April 22 is the global Earth Day celebration and NASA has you covered. NASA maintains one of the largest archives of Earth science data on the planet—all of which are fully and openly available. Start your explorations today! Get Started                       Articles                 Preparing for Oceans of Data Careful calibration and validation ensure that the recently launched Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission will provide the best data possible.           Monitoring and Tracking Tropospheric Ozone Ozone is a two-edged sword: beneficial in Earth’s stratosphere, but harmful in the troposphere. Dr. Owen Cooper’s work using NASA Earth science data is shedding new light on the current—and future—state of this critical atmospheric component.           NASA Announces Pause in GEDI Mission The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) instrument has temporarily been moved to an alternate location on the International Space Station. GEDI will return to its original location and resume operations in 2024.           New Data Discoveries Added to VEDA Dashboard Discoveries about fire, coastal risks from sea level rise, changes in the global water cycle, snowpack projections, and Houston heat are the newest additions to NASA’s Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis (VEDA) Dashboard.           Airborne and Field Data Workshop Report The final report from the NASA Airborne and Field Data Workshop is now available. The report provides recommendations on how NASA can improve the ability for data producers and data users to meet NASA science objectives.

IMF SPRING MEETINGS

 

Dear maria, welcome to a special edition of the Weekend Read In this special edition from the Spring Meetings, we spotlight the IMF managing director’s global policy priorities, the threats to the world economy from geopolitics and protectionism, the International Monetary and Financial Committee, economic outlooks for all the world’s regions, and more. The Weekend Read will return next Friday, when we will report on must-watch sessions covering central banks’ battle with inflation and the benefits of digital infrastructure.

Managing Director Sets Out Policy Agenda The global economy is at another highly uncertain moment, as tentative signs of stabilization earlier this year have receded and the outlook is increasingly risky, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said in her Global Policy Agenda. At the same time, divisions within and across countries are deepening, exacerbated by rising fragmentation. Strong policy action is needed together with pragmatic approaches to find areas of common ground to respond to shared challenges. The IMF is proactively engaging with members to chart a clear course to a stronger and more sustainable path for the global economy, she added.

IMF update

 

Dear maria, We just published a new blog—please find the full text below.  In Latin America, Fiscal Policy Can Lighten the Burden of Central Banks (Credit: sfurlan/iStock by Getty Images) By Gustavo Adler and Nigel Chalk Growth in Latin America is projected to slow to 1.6 percent this year after a remarkable 4 percent in 2022. Price pressures that accompanied last year’s brisk economic activity appear to have peaked, but underlying inflation remains stubbornly high, disproportionally hurting low-income households who spend most of their earnings on food. To mitigate the risk that inflation becomes entrenched, fiscal policy can help monetary policy in reducing demand pressures. After peaking at 10 percent in mid-2022, headline inflation in the largest Latin American economies has slowed to 7 percent in March. However, this drop mostly reflects the fall of commodity prices from their peaks. Progress in bringing down core inflation, which excludes food and energy, appears to have stalled. Labor markets are tight, with employment firmly above its pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, output is at or above potential, and short-term inflation expectations exceed central banks’ target ranges. Strong domestic demand, rapid wage increases, and broad-based price pressures all point to a risk that inflation in the region could remain unacceptably high. Tempering demand to tame price pressures

NATO update

 

NATO Allies train Ukrainian soldiers on Leopard tanks in Poland Ukrainian tank operators have been going through a condensed 30-day training course on the Leopard tanks in Poland. Military instructors from Canada, Norway and Poland have been training the Ukrainians both in virtual simulators and in live-fire and manoeuvre exercises. The training took place at the Leopard training centre in Świetoszow, Poland. The Polish-led programme is aimed at helping Ukraine uphold its right to self-defence enshrined in the UN Charter against Russia’s war of aggression. Click here to download the b-roll. Footage includes shots of Ukrainian tank operators driving Leopard tanks and training on simulators. It also includes interviews with Polish and Canadian instructors. NATO fighter pilots train at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program The next generation of Allied fighter pilots is being trained at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) Program, a multinational training program based at Sheppard Air Force Base in the United States. Allied students go to Texas to learn the fundamentals of flight, progressing from ground school to the prop-driven T-6 Texan trainer - and finally, to the T-38 Talon, a supersonic jet trainer that prepares them for the physical and mental strain of flying a tactical aircraft. With 12-hour working days and plenty of bookwork to supplement the flying, ENJJPT ensures that only the most skilled and dedicated graduates are certified to serve as fighter pilots in their nation’s air forces. Click here to download the b-roll. Footage includes shots of students and instructors flying in T-38 Talons from Sheppard Air Force Base, as well as an interview with the Vice Commander of the 80th Flying Training Wing. Italian and American soldiers swap rations

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau...

 Supporting and improving Indigenous-led health care for First Nations in British Columbia

April 14, 2023
West Vancouver, British Columbia

Everyone deserves equal access to quality health care, free from racism and discrimination. That’s why the Government of Canada is working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis to support greater Indigenous control of health services and deliver better health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, was joined today by the Minister of Indigenous Services, Patty Hajdu, and the leaders of the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the First Nations Health Council (FNHC), on Coast Salish Traditional Territory, to announce the signing of a renewed 10-year Canada Funding Agreement with the FNHA in British Columbia, to deliver better health care for First Nations in the province. Through the agreement, $8.2 billion in funding will support the FNHA as it continues to deliver and improve the health systems that serve and support over 200 First Nations communities in the province. This includes but is not limited to continuing to develop innovative supports for mental health and wellness needs, increasing access to quality, culturally safe care, and strengthening coordination between the FNHA and the provincial health care services to better meet the unique needs of First Nations communities.

The Government of Canada transferred control of First Nations health operations in British Columbia to the First Nations in the province 10 years ago, following the signing of a historic agreement in 2011. Since then, the FNHA has transformed how health care is delivered to First Nations in the province, ensuring that health funding is distributed wherever it is needed most, to support healthy, self-determining, and vibrant communities across the province.

Today’s announcement is in addition to the recently announced Indigenous Health Equity Fund, a federal investment of $2 billion over 10 years to address the unique challenges Indigenous Peoples across Canada face when it comes to fair and equitable access to quality and culturally safe health care services. We will continue working collaboratively with Indigenous partners and communities to address these gaps, support Indigenous health priorities, and work toward eliminating health inequalities for all.

Quotes

“Today’s announcement is an important step toward ensuring that decisions that impact the health of First Nations can be made by First Nations. We’re committed to working in partnership with Indigenous communities to deliver the best results for people’s health, build a more resilient health care system, and ensure that our country’s health care systems respect the unique needs of Indigenous Peoples so that everyone can get the medical care they need, when they need it.”