Tentative programme of work
The High-Level Forum on Trade and Investment is intended to substantively contribute to the preparation of the Second South Summit to be held in Doha in 2005. The Doha Forum on Trade and Investment will deepen the understanding and provide impetus to actions in two key areas of South-South cooperation, namely trade and investment.
Consequently, the statements to be delivered both at the opening ceremony, at the plenary meeting and at the two workshops will need to focus on how to make South-South cooperation effective and sustainable in the areas of trade and investment.
Substantive documentation for the ministerial inter-active debate both in the plenary meeting and the workshops will be made available to all participants.
Sunday, 5 December
MORNING
9:00 a.m. - Opening ceremony
9:00 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.
- Keynote address by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.- Address by His Excellency Mr. Jean Ping ( Gabon), President of the fifty-ninth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
- Address by Mr. Mark Mallock Brown, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
9:50 a.m. - Break
The inaugural ceremony is expected to end around 9:50 a.m.. A break of ten minutes will be taken so that His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar could be escorted.
10:00 a.m. - Plenary meeting
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
The Plenary Meeting will be chaired by His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Commerce of the State of Qatar.
- The Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Mr. Carlos Fortín, will address the Forum.
- The President of Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, Her Excellency Ms. Marjatta Rasi ( Finland), will address the Plenary.
- A representative of Jamaica, Chair of the Group of 77 for 2005, will address the Forum.
- The Vicepresident of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Mr. Cyril Enweze, will address the Forum.
This will conclude the introductory part and the meeting is then moving to its ministerial inter-active dialogue.
- The keynote speaker, Mr. Rubens Ricupero, former Secretary-General of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), will address “The new geography of international economic relations: the South-South dimension”.
10:30 - 12:30 a.m. - Interactive dialogue
12:30 p.m. - Conclusion
of the plenary meeting
AFTERNOON
2:30 p.m. - Workshop on Trade
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Introductory statements by the Chair and by the Panelists:
The workshop will be chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed bin Ahmad bin Jassim Al-Thani, Minister of Economy and Commerce of the State of Qatar.
Introduction of the three substantive topics by the panelists :
(a) Strengthening developing countries capacity for trade negotiations.
(b) Networking among regional integration groupings.
(c) Enhancing South-South cooperation and trade, particularly in commodities.
4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. - Inter-active debate
6:30 p.m. - Summary of discussions and closure of the Workshop
* * *
Monday, 6 December
MORNING
9:00 a.m. - Workshop on Investment
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Introductory statements by the Chair and by the Panelists:
The workshop will be chaired by His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Commerce of the State of Qatar.
Introduction of the three substantive topics by the panelists:
(a) Negotiation of international investment agreements among developing countries
(b) Investment Promotion Agencies: realizing potential synergies and meeting new challenges
(c): FDI and its Impact: national policies matters
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Inter-active debate
12:30 p.m. - Summary of discussions and closure of the Workshop
AFTERNOON
2:30 p.m. - Plenary Meeting
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Reports of the Workshops to the Plenary Meeting
The meeting will be presided over by His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Commerce of the State of Qatar.
- Presentation of conclusions and recommendations by His Excellency Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Chairman of the Group of 77.
- Comments by participants on the outcomes of the two workshops.
- Conclusion of the Plenary Meeting.
4:30 p.m. - Closing ceremony *
- Closing statement by Mr. Carlos Fortin, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
- Other statements.
- Closing statement by His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed bin Ahmad bin Jassim Al-Thani, Minister of Economy and Commerce of the State of Qatar.
- Closure of the meeting.