Trade : South proposes strengthening WTO to promote development   (D. Ravi Kanth, Geneva) (PRIV)
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India, South Africa, and seven other developing and least-developed countries on Thursday (11 July) challenged the one-sided WTO reform proposals advanced by the US and other developed countries, and tabled, for the General Council, their own proposal for "strengthening the WTO to promote development and inclusivity."

Rights : Access to medicines fundamental to enjoyment of health   (Kanaga Raja, Geneva) (PRIV)
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Access to medicines and vaccines is one of the fundamental elements for the full realization of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the correspondent objectives of universal health coverage and health for all without discrimination, with special attention to reaching those furthest behind first.

Climate : Great work of GCF should be narrative for doubling resources   (Prerna Bomzan, Kathmandu) (PRIV)
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Developing country Board members of the UNFCCC's Green Climate Fund (GCF) emphasized that the great work of the Fund thus far in supporting climate actions in developing countries and its impacts, should be the main narrative in replenishing its resources, at least to double that of the USD 10 billion amount of what was pledged in the initial resource mobilization (IRM).

United Nations : Drought, disease and war hit global agriculture   (IPS, New York) (PRIV)
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The United Nations has warned of drought, disease and war preventing farmers from producing enough food for millions of people across Africa and other regions, leading to the need for major aid operations.