Trade : Investment Facilitation proposals and India's objections (PRIV)
(Chakravarthi Raghavan, Geneva)
The several proposals put forward (in Job documents) for inclusion in the General Council Agenda for 10 May, with a view to secure some "deliverables" on Investment Facilitation at the eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires this December, have been modified now (in the GC Chair's compromise statement) to be merely "Communications" without calling for any GC decisions.

Trade : India and others ensure IF can't be discussed formally at WTO (PRIV)
(D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva)
India along with several developing countries on Thursday (18 May) ensured that investment facilitation cannot be discussed formally at the World Trade Organization, causing a huge setback to China, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, and others who sought to sneak in the failed (OECD mediated) Multilateral Agreement on Investment in a new avatar into the global trade body, trade envoys told SUNS.

United Nations : Panama urged to deepen reforms on tax evasion (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Geneva)
A United Nations human rights expert has called on the government of Panama to deepen its reforms on tax evasion, focusing amongst others on strengthening governance and incorporating the banking sector in any national strategy towards curbing illicit funds.

United Nations : Sexual violence as a "threat to security and durable peace" (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
Sexual violence is increasingly used as a tactic of terrorism and thus must be addressed as a peace and security issue, officials said at a United Nations Security Council meeting.