Trade : South countries voice concern over EU's deforestation-free regulatio n (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
Several developing countries have raised a "red flag" against the European Union's regulation on deforestation-free pr oducts (EUDR), which was announced on 29 June 2023, saying that it "disregards loc al circumstances and capabilities, national legislation and certification mech anisms of developing producer countries, their efforts to fight deforestation and multilateral commitments, including the principle of common but differentia ted responsibilities."

WTO : Secretariat in turmoil over alleged nepotism in top officials' selecti on (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
The World Trade Organization, at the just concluded Public Forum last week, showcased its achievements and upbeat expectations for its upcoming 13th ministerial conference (MC13), to be hel d in Abu Dhabi in February 2024.

Latin America : Mexico turns to military entrepreneurs (PRIV)
(IPS, Mexico City)
Courage, sadness and impotence ar e expressed by Mayan indigenous activist Sara Lopez when she talks about the Mayan Train (TM), the Mexican government's biggest infrastructure project, which will cross the town where she lives and many others in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Africa : Agro-processors call for policies conducive to local manufacturing (PRIV)
(IPS, Dar es Salaam)
Experts at the Africa Food Sy stems Forum (AGRF) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, have called on African governments to make and review existing policies to protect the processing and agro-industrialisation of locally produced agricultural products.