WTO: South pushes back against moves to dilute MFN, S&DT principles (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
China, joined by many developing and least-developed countries, has fiercely pushed back against proposed changes to the World Trade Organization's most-favoured-nation (MFN) principle and special and differential treatment (S&DT) sought by the United States, Norway and the European Union, among others, during a day-long meeting on 9 November on the WTO reform track on "foundational" issues.

WTO: South seeks evidence-based discussions on "foundational" issues (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
A small group of countries - Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Sri Lanka, and Suriname - has called for preserving "the centrality of MFN [most-favoured-nation] in WTO agreements" to enable developing and least developed country (LDC) members to continue securing gains in global trade.

Climate: Talks begin in Antalya after wrangle over agenda items (PRIV)
(Radhika Chatterjee and Meena Raman, Antalya)
The climate talks began in Antalya, Turkiye, after a slight delay on 10 November, following an all-night-long wrangle that began the day before, behind the scenes for Heads of Delegations (HODs), convened by the joint presidencies of Turkiye and Australia, to resolve major agenda fights on various matters, including on the Climate Finance Work Programme (CFWP).