Implications for jobs, consumers, and the environment and Africa of including investment in the post-Bali Roadmap: OWINFS event at WTO Public Forum 2014

Implications  for  jobs,  consumers,  and  the  environment

and  Africa  of  including investment

in the post-Bali Roadmap

Friday 3 October 14:00-16:00

Room W, WTO

This  session  will  examine  the  implications  for  developed  and  developing  countries  of  some WTO members’ suggestion of including investment in the Doha Round Roadmap. It will draw on analysis of existing investment treaties and investment chapters of free trade agreements to look at whether they have encouraged foreign direct investment, better wages and conditions and  their  impact  on  consumers  and  the  environment,  including  in  the  context  of  the  current financial crisis. It will be based on new academic research, investment disputes, negotiations and reports.

Speakers:

• Elisabeth  Tuerk,  Chief,  International  Investment  Agreements  Section,  Division  on Investment  and  Enterprise,  United  Nations  Conference  on  Trade  and  Development (UNCTAD)

• Wamkele Keabetswe Mene, Chargé d'Affaires, South African Permanent Mission to the WTO

• Yorgos  Altintzís,  Economic  and  Social  Policy  Officer,  International  Trade  Union Confederation (ITUC)

• Natacha Cingotti, Corporate Campaigner, Friends of the Earth Europe

• Sanya Reid Smith, Legal Advisor and Senior Researcher, Third World Network (TWN)

Interpretation will be provided.

Organised by Friends of the Earth Europe, Public Citizen, Third World Network (TWN)