WTO: South Africa calls for decision on six African Group proposals at MC13 (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
A two-day retreat organized by the chair of the World Trade Organization's General Council concluded on 26 September withou t any consensus on how to proceed further on issues concerning trade and indu strial policy in the run-up to the WTO's 13th ministerial conference (MC13), to be held in Abu Dhabi in February 2024, said people familiar with the retreat.

UN: Lifting restrictions on Palestinian economic activity key to ending pov erty (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
Ending and reversing Israeli settlement activities, in line with Security Council resolution 2334 (2016), and lifti ng all restrictions on Palestinian economic development, including in Area C, is a sine qua non for the eradication of poverty and the achievement of the Sustainab le Development Goals in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Pakistan: Skyrocketing inflation puts food security at risk (PRIV)
(IPS, Peshawar)
"We are under extreme stress abou t skyrocketing prices of essential edible commodities and the cost of gas and electricity. The situation is becoming worse every day. We must pay more fo r wheat flour, sugar, tea, milk, oil, etc.," Azizullah Khan, a civil servant, says.