The Week Ahead at the UN in Geneva
The World Trade Organisation and the World Health Organisation Are Quite Busy
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That fish in your plate? Has it been subsidized or not?
On Monday 7 June, the WTO Informal Open-ended Negotiating Group on Rules (Fisheries Subsidies) convenes, with heads of delegations, it is an informal meeting.
Current Chair: Ambassador Santiago Wills, from Colombia.
WTO negotiations on fisheries subsidies were launched in 2001 at the Doha Ministerial Conference, with a mandate to “clarify and improve” existing WTO disciplines on fisheries subsidies. That mandate was elaborated in 2005 at the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, including with a call for prohibiting certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing.
At the 2017 Buenos Aires Ministerial Conference (MC11), ministers decided on a work programme to conclude the negotiations by aiming to adopt, at the next Ministerial Conference, an agreement on fisheries subsidies which delivers on Sustainable Development Goal 14.6
Tuesday, 8 June
Meeting of the TRIPS Council — Formal Meeting
That is Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.
On the plate? The waiver on patents for COVID19 Vaccines.
Current Chair : Ambassador Dagfinn SØRLI from Norway.
To Know More How the TRIPS Negotiations Work:
Wednesday, 9 June
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade — Formal Meeting
Current Chair : Mr. Laurence Sandral from Australia
To Know More
Source: WTO
More on Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
World Health Organisation
Source: WHO
Monday, 7 June
WHO Global Conference on Communicating Science During Public Health Emergencies
The WHO Information Network for Epidemics (WHO EPI-WIN) is organizing a global conference on communicating science during public health emergencies to facilitate the solution-oriented discussion of challenges and good practices in health science communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. Register to join the opening plenary Monday at 13:00 CEST.
World Food Safety Day
WHO and FAO will hold a virtual celebration of World Food Safety Day on Monday at 13:00 CEST.
The event will include an interactive session in which the Chief Scientists of WHO and FAO discuss the ways science is helping to innovate and keep our food safe along the food supply chain. The conversation will focus on how food safety is vital for people, plants, planet, economies – and our future. More info.
Global Launch: Tracking SDG7
The Energy Progress Report & SDG7This year’s joint launch event of the SDG7 Tracking Report and the SDG7 Policy Briefs is intended to inform the discussions in support of the High-level Political Forum in July, the High-level Dialogue on Energy in September, the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs, and the implementation of the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All 2014-2024.
The report gives the international community the latest global dashboard to register progress on the SDG7 targets. Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health Department, will participate. Read here for info on the report and how to join the launch event.
Tuesday, 8 June
High-Level Meeting on AIDS
The High-Level Meeting on AIDS will take place 8-10 June. The meeting will review the progress made in reducing the impact of HIV since the last UN General Assembly High-Level meeting on HIV and AIDS in 2016. The General Assembly expects to adopt a new political declaration to guide the future direction of the response. WHO is organizing and/or co-sponsoring several virtual side events. The plenary session, general debate and thematic panels will be webcast live on UN Web TV.
Wednesday, 9 June
Record response to WHO’s call for antimicrobial resistance surveillance reports in 2020
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi. A record number (more than 3 million) of laboratory-confirmed infection cases, along with their antimicrobial resistance results, were reported to WHO in response to the 2020 call for input to its Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS). A new GLASS report will launch Wednesday. More details will be available next week. Here's more info on AMR.
Thursday, 10 June
Launch of WHO guidance on community-based mental health services using a rights-based approach
During the last decade, an increasing number of countries have sought to reform their laws, policies and services related to mental health care. However, to date, few countries have established the frameworks necessary to enable them to make the far-reaching changes required by international human rights standards. Reports from around the world highlight that severe human rights abuses and coercive practices are still far too common in mental health services in countries of all income levels.
This comprehensive new guidance, intended primarily for people with responsibility for organizing and managing mental health care, presents details of what is required in areas such as mental health law, policy and strategy, service delivery, financing, workforce development and civil society participation. It includes examples of services that are following good practices in countries including Brazil, India, Kenya, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.
