View this email in your browser FES GENEVA NEWSLETTER The Geneva Office of the Friedrich ‐ Ebert ‐ Stiftung(FES Geneva) presents its latest newsletter, designed to inform you about our activities and publications as well as of upcoming events and developments within the Geneva-based international organisations. Das Genfer Büro der Friedrich ‐ Ebert ‐ Stiftung(FES Genf) freut sich, Ihnen unseren jüngsten Newsletter vorzustellen. Dieser enthält Informationen über unsere Veranstaltungen und Neuerscheinungen sowie anstehende Veranstaltungen und Ereignisse innerhalb der Genfer Internationalen Organisationen. Upcoming Events| Recent Events| International Agenda| Publications UPCOMING EVENTS Global Migration Scenarios‘What Future for International Migration and Human Mobility?’ 25 – 28 September 2016, Geneva, Switzerland This workshop, jointly organized by FES Geneva, the International Organization for Migration(IOM) and Global Future, a Geneva-based NGO, is the first meeting of experts invited from across regions and sectors related to migration to take part in the one-y ear scenario building initiative“What Future for International Migration and Human Mobility?”. The final set of Global Migration Scenarios(based amongst others on workshops and specific interviews) seek to inform the migration debate

among relevant stakeholders and to inspire possible actions to actively pursue identified desired futures for migration. This first scenario building workshop aims to draw on the expertise of the invited experts to explore and understand current trends, critical drivers and emerging challenges and opportunities, which may shape the future global migration agenda into different directions. Participation is by invitation only. How Can ACP Countries Harness Digital Innovation as Critical Enabler for Promoting Inclusive Trade? 27 September 2016, 13:00- 14:30pm, Room S2, WTO, Geneva, Switzerland This session at the WTO Public Forum, organized in close collaboration between the ACP Geneva office and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung will tackle the following questions: How can trade policy and trade-related development policy assist ACP countries’ desire to fully benefit from digital innovation? What are the ingredients for an inclusive digital economy? What do ACP countries expect from the WTO in order to increase their capacities to harness digital innovations? Speakers: Mr. Roy Ombatti, founder, African Born 3D Printer, Kenya; Ms. Daniela Zehenter-Capell, Head of Division, Trade-related development cooperation, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development(BMZ), Germany; Ms. Cécile Barayre, Economic Affairs Officer, ICT Analysis Section, Division on Technology and Logistics, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Download Flyer Implications for Inclusive Services from the New TiSA Texts 28 September 2016, 09:00- 10:30am, Room E, WTO, Geneva, Switzerland The leaking of the draft texts of the proposed TiSA offer the public significant access to understand the objectives and detail of the intended treaty. This panel

brings together trade in services experts that have analysed the proposed text, and will offer diverse perspectives as to whether the proposed rules would contribute to inclusive prosperity, democratic decision-making and access to quality, accessible public services as envisioned in the Sustainable Development Goals. This session at the WTO Public Forum is jointly organized by Public Services International(PSI) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Read More About TiSA What Will It Take to Foster Inclusive Trade in Africa? 29 September 2016, 10:30- 12:00am, Room S1, WTO, Geneva, Switzerland Trade can create prosperity for all of Africa’s people by increasing opportunities for income generation. But for this to happen, UNCTAD research shows that promoting inclusive trade in Africa requires going beyond targeting vulnerable groups. It will take addressing fundamental enablers so that women, men and youth can benefit from entrepreneurial activity and from trade’s impact on the ir communities. Central to this is investment in productive capacities such as infrastructure, finance, energy, skills, policies, laws, regulations, and in people. This side-event is jointly organized by UNCTAD Regional Office for Africa, EIF, trapca and FES Geneva. Panellists include inter alia Mukhisa Kituyi, SecretaryGeneral, UNCTAD, H.E. Alioune Sarr, Minister of Trade, Republic of Senegal, H.E. Joshua Setipa, Minister of Trade, Republic of Lesotho, Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director, Enhanced Integrated Framework for LDCs(EIF). 10 Years Human Rights Council – What difference Has it Made? What Difference Will it Make in the Future? 10- 11 October 2016, Berlin, Germany Organized jointly by FES, the German Institute for Human Rights and the NGO Forum for Human Rights, this annual conference on the occasion of the 10th

anniversary of the Council provides an opportunity to reflect on the work and effectiveness of the HRC. In exploring the question of how the Council can do better in its second decade than in its first, the conference analyzes central structures of the Council. Potential future relationship of the Council with other relevant human rights institutions and mechanisms – such as National Human Rights Institutions, parliamentarians as well as the Development Agenda 2030 and – will be explored. Enhancing cooperation and embedding human rights in the work of international mechanisms and debates is critical to ensure that the respective agendas are complementary rather than entering into competition with each other. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development A Good or Bad Start? Civil Society Reflection Group Report Launch: Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2016 24 October 2016, 12:30 – 14:00pm, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland Independent monitoring and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its structural obstacles and challenges are key factors for the success of the SDGs. A global alliance of civil society organisations and networks has produced its first annual Spotlight Report on the fulfillment of the 17 goals, with a particular focus on inequalities, responsibility of the rich and powerful, means of implementation and systemic issues. At this launch of the global Spotlight Report some of the key findings and recommendations will be presented and discussed from various perspectives. Download Report Side Event to the Forum on Business and Human Rights: Rights and Resources – Embedding Human Rights into Corporate Tax Regimes 14 November 2016, 11:40am- 13:00pm, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

As part of the programme of the 5th Forum on Business and Human Rights this session, jointly organized by the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute(IBAHRI), the FES Geneva Office and the Center for Economic and Social Rights, focuses on SDG financing, corporate tax regimes and States’ obliga tions and companies’ human rights responsibilities in that respect. In considering how best to apply the UN Guiding Principles'Protect, Respect and Remedy' framework to taxation, the discussion will explore governments’ positive legal obligations to protect and prevent harmful corporate tax practices, the responsibilities of business enterprises to prevent the human rights risks of their tax planning, and discuss possibilities and obstacles available to ensure the provision of effective remedy for tax abuse. More Upcoming Events: Agriculture and Trade in the 21st Century – Information Seminar for Latin American Stakeholders 03- 04 October 2016, Geneva, Switzerland Arabic speaking Training Course on International Human Rights Mechanisms 31 October- 4 November 2016, Geneva, Switzerland The Social Protection Floors: Achieving Social Security for All Implementing an International Concept on the National Level 07- 11 November 2016, Geneva, Switzerland Inequality as a Danger to Sustainable Peace – Converging Perspectives on Human Rights and Peacebuilding 11 November 2016, Geneva, Switzerland Africa’s Trade for Africa's People: Designing the CFTA from a Human Rights

Perspective 29 November 2016(tbc), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia RECENT EVENTS Breaking the Silos – Bringing a Human Rights Perspective into the IIA Reform Debate 19 July 2016, Nairobi, Kenya Today, there is no question whether a reform of international investment agreements(IIA) is needed but rather what kind of reform. The current system of investment treaties is broken. A system that gives the right to sue governments for the loss of future profits unilaterally to foreign investors in front of private arbitration tribunals. The issue of investor responsibilities is also dealt with in another context, namely within the UN Human Rights system. To what extent are investor responsibilities already part of the current IIA reform debate? How are investor responsibilities currently discussed in the two human rights work streams dealing with the issue? How could a link between the IIA reform debate and the human rights debate provide a way forward towards a new system of just and balanced investment agreements and investment contracts? This and other questions were discussed at this side-event during the UNCTAD14 conference by Georgios Altintzis(ITUC), Aldo Caliari(Center of Concern), Elisabeth Tuerk(UNCTAD) and others. Download Flyer Preparatory Meeting- Human Rights Impact Assessment(HRIA) of the Continental Free Trade Area(CFTA) 04- 06 July 2016, Geneva, Switzerland The African Union is negotiating a Continental Free Trade Area(CFTA). In April

2015, based on research work undertaken and a multi-stakeholder meeting held in Addis Ababa a Human Rights Impact Assessment(HRIA) of the CFTA was proposed at the outset of the negotiation process. The HRIA should provide policy recommendations to be integrated into the design and implementation of the CFTA, aligning with human rights as well as development commitments and priorities. In that context, a scoping study was prepared with support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa(UNECA), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights(OHCHR) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung(FES), Geneva office. With the completion of the scoping study, the next steps for the HRIA ex-ante assessment – culminating in a HRIA report – had to be defined. Therefore, this meeting aimed at consulting with invited participants from international organisations including UNCTAD and ILO, civil society groups and think tanks to brainstorm on the risks identified in the scoping study and how to design the next phase of the HRIA. Core Labour Standards – Plus: FES-South East Asia Project Visits International Geneva 06- 10 June 2016, Geneva, Switzerland There seems to be a window of opportunity to revive the old idea of a binding social clause in international trade and in global supply chains. The FES-South East Asia“CLS Plus” project aimed at developing a policy -oriented tool to assess and promote the implementation of comprehensive labour and social standards, including but also beyond the Core Labour Standards, in export-oriented industries in Asia in the framework of trade agreements and preference systems. This Geneva based workshop enabled participants to get first-hand information from international experts of trade and labour rights’ policies. Additionally, participants had the chance to further develop the regional project by incorporating the inputs received during this seminar. The FES-CLS+ project was running in the following countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Vietnam.

Download Program Expert Seminar on Human Rights and Sustainable Development Goals 11 June 2016, Geneva, Switzerland This expert seminar, jointly organized by FES Geneva, the International Bar Association and the Geneva Academy, aimed to inform the work of the UN human rights mechanisms in addressing the links between the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights, including States’ human rights obligations in the development and implementation of fiscal and economic policies. By bringing together internationally renowned experts the outcome of this meeting intended to assist States in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals from a human rights perspective, with a focus on economic and fiscal policy measures. INTERNATIONAL AGENDA 15th Public Forum of the WTO 27- 29 September 2016, Geneva, Switzerland 4 th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights 14- 16 November 2016, Geneva, Switzerland PUBLICATIONS In Need of Rethinking. Trade Policies in Times of De-Globalisation Hubert René Schillinger, August 2016 Download

Designing the Continental Free Trade Area(CFTA): An African Human Rights Perspective Prof. James Thuo Gathii, May 2016 Download Geneva Office Hubert René Schillinger 6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour CH- 1202 Geneva Tel:+41(0)22 733 34 50 Email: info@fes-geneva.org Web: www.fes-geneva.org Forward to Friend Share Tweet Share FES NEWSLETTER You are receiving this email because you're a friend of FES Geneva. Unsubscribe from this list Our mailing address is: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung 6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour Geneva 1202 Switzerland Add us to your address book Copyright© 2016 Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, All rights reserved.