Media

HKU Proudly Presents Hong Kong Trade and Development Symposium (HKTDS)

08 Dec 2005

 

The Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (MC6) will take place in Hong Kong later next week. On the occasion of the MC6, the East Asian International Economic Law and Policy (EAIEL) Programme of The University of Hong Kong is pleased to organise the Hong Kong Trade and Development Symposium (HKTDS) with the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), from December 13 until December 17 at the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre, China Resources Building, 26 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong.

Background of ICTSD
ICTSD is an independent non-profit and non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Established in 1996, ICTSD's mission is to advance the goal of sustainable development by empowering stakeholders in trade policy through information, networking, dialogue, well-targeted research and capacity building to influence the international trade system.

Background of the HKTDS
ICTSD and El Colegio de Mexico launched the first Trade and Development Symposium in conjunction with the Fifth WTO Ministerial Conference held in Cancun in September 2003. The Cancun TDS hosted 40 panels with over 100 international specialists. Its key objectives were to facilitate the generation of innovative thinking, analysis and dialogue on pressing trade and sustainable development issues and as relate to trade negotiations. Particular attention was paid to how trade policies can help to meet the needs of sustainable human development, the Millennium Development Goals and Targets, and other public policy objectives.

Following the success in Cancun, ICTSD and The University of Hong Kong, will co-convene the Hong Kong Trade and Development Symposium in parallel to the MC6. The symposium will bring together acclaimed academics, policy researchers and analysts, IGOs and NGOs with expertise and knowledge in development-related issues, businesses or the private sector and parliamentarians as speakers on panels to stimulate the discussions. 

Alongside the Symposium, HKU and ICTSD have reached an agreement with the Fair Trade Fair Steering Committee consisting of Oxfam Hong Kong, Asia Fair Trade Forum, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), Équiterre, and Gerster Consulting, which will host the Hong Kong Fair Trade Fair at the same venue. The MC6, as well as the HKTDS and Hong Kong Fair Trade Fair will certainly be highlights in Hong Kong during the second week of December 2005.

The HKTDS and the Hong Kong Fair Trade Fair will jointly host a welcoming reception on Wednesday, December 13, 2005, at 18:30 at the Exhibition Hall A of the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre. Invited guests of the reception include Mr Peter Mandelson, Trade Commissioner of the European Union, and The Hon M. Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation of Canada.

Members of the media are cordially invited to attend the above events. For further enquiries, please contact Miss Agnes Cheng, Programme Manager, East Asian International Economic Law and Policy Programme, Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong at 2859 7052.

*In order to provide a background and a summary of the state of play on all negotiating areas on the eve of the MC6, an executive summary of the Doha Round Negotiations is provided here as a reference.