Globalisation

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad

Has Caribbean Diplomacy Lost Its Mojo?

By Peter Richards
Whether by accident or coincidence, recent days have seen a variety of Caribbean leaders and journalists question whether the region is failing to pursue leadership roles within international organisations - and thus losing its voice in global issues like trade, climate change, and peace and security.

WTO Chooses New Latin American Chief to Mark a Change in Course

By Gustavo Capdevila
Brazilian diplomat Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo was named the new director general of the WTO with broad support from the developing world, beating out his Mexican rival Herminio Blanco, who was backed by the industrialised nations.

U.S. Gov’t Accused of “Corporate Diplomacy” for Biotech Industry

By Carey L. Biron
A consumer protection group here is accusing U.S. diplomats of engaging in a concerted and at times forceful advocacy campaign on behalf of genetically modified seeds and even specific biotechnology companies, particularly aiming to influence governments in developing countries.

Culture Becomes Latest Front in Afghanistan’s War

By Giuliano Battiston
Another kind of war, less explosive than bombs and more subtle than night raids, is taking place in the Central Asian country of Afghanistan: a war of cultural influence. Its means are financial sponsorships and other support for cultural and artistic events.

Developing Resilience to Financial Shocks

By Supachai Panitchpakdi
The global repercussions of the 2007-2008 financial crisis are a stark reminder of the economic interdependence in our globalising world. No country was spared from the shock waves that originated in the financial systems of developed economies.

Institutional Tangles, Deindustrialisation Hurt Mercosur

By Mario Osava
July will mark the start of a new era for the Common Southern Market (Mercosur), when it will expand to five full members, if the South American bloc manages to overcome the commotion caused by the admission of Venezuela and the suspension of Paraguay.

U.N. Harnesses Social Media to Reach Outside World

By Thalif Deen
As the world continues to turn digital, so does the United Nations - slowly but steadily.

Japan’s Aid Programme Takes a Selfish Turn

By Suvendrini Kakuchi
As Japan slips from its former top spot as the world’s biggest donor, experts here are worried about long-term changes in the country’s development assistance programme, which has played a crucial role in global poverty reduction efforts.

In U.S.-Mexico Relations, a Shift from Security to Economy

By Katelyn Fossett
Ahead of President Barack Obama’s trip to Mexico and Costa Rica, experts here are expecting that security will take a back seat to issues of economic cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico.

China Outranks West to Grab Top Spot in Global Tourism

By Thalif Deen
China, which has outranked Japan as the world's second largest economy and moved ahead of Russia as the world's second largest military spender, has hit the top spot in global tourism.

World Bank, IMF Link Urbanisation with Development

By Carey L. Biron
Two of the world’s largest multilateral institutions have released new data linking greater urbanisation with higher levels of human development, and are announcing that they will place greater priority on issues of urbanisation in coming decades.

Commodities Trade Haven Faces Protests

By Ray Smith
The powerful Swiss commodity sector is under fire here, as citizens fed up with government inaction on charges of corporate corruption, tax evasion and lack of transparency gear up for major protests.

Give a Teenager a Camera, Watch the World Change

By Joan Erakit
Today's youth are hardly passive consumers of content – they create it, endlessly updating via social media and spreading information faster than one can say “go".

World Bank to Strengthen Focus on Land Rights

By Carey L. Biron
The World Bank will be placing stronger emphasis on issues of land tenure and socially and environmentally sustainable agricultural investing, it announced Monday.

Refugees of Libyan War Protest at World Social Forum

By Alberto Pradilla
“We need a solution. The U.N. has created the problem, and they should do their work and fix it,” says Bright, a young Nigerian stuck in the Choucha refugee camp in Tunisia, a few kilometres from the Libyan border.
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