Trade : UNCTAD SG pitches for investment facilitation to raise FDI in South (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (formerly known as UNCTAD) on 20 June made the strongest pitch yet for "investment facilitation and digital government as tools to attract and retain investment", despite these non-mandated plurilateral initiatives bei ng opposed by developing countries at the World Trade Organization on both "systemic" and "procedural" grounds.

WTO : "Legitimacy" concerns over Brazil's informal process on agriculture (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
Sharp divisions came to the fore at an in formal meeting convened by Brazil at the World Trade Organization on 18 June on discussions over the permanent solution for public stockholding (PSH) progr ams for food security, with one country having said that there is no "legitimac y" to the informal process, said people familiar with the development.

UN : Taliban's violations of Afghan women's rights causing immense harm (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
The Taliban's pattern of systematic violati ons of Afghan women's and girls' fundamental rights has intensified, causing immen se harm, spanning generations and all elements of society in the country, acco rding to a United Nations human rights expert.