Global Partnerships

27.02.2006 International organization Oxfam has called upon EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and his US counterpart Rob Portman to urgently make necessary concessions to ensure that the Doha Round of trade negotiations benefits the developing countries.

20.02.2006 The UN has appointed Tom Koenigs, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, as the new head of the United Nations Mission Assistance in Afghanistan. One of his main roles would be to coordinate a multi-billion dollar development plan for the South Asian nation.

17.02.2006 The decision by French President Jacques Chirac to withdraw the asbestos-contaminated aircraft carrier Clemenceau from dismantling in India ends an embarrassing journey for the ship, and for the French government.

15.02.2006 India on Tuesday made it clear that any deal at WTO should be in favour of developing nations to make the current round of talks development oriented, even as EU emphasised that its offer was a "real sacrifice". Commerce Ministry Additional Secretary G K Pillai told a meeting of Indian industrialists that any give and take in the current Doha round of negotiations will have to be skewed in favour of developing countries.

03.02.2006 Indian trade unions have threatened to launch an agitation when French President Jacques Chirac arrives in India in February to protest against the entry of decommissioned aircraft carrier Le Clemenceau for ship-breaking in Indian waters. The unions plan to agitate in front of the French embassy in New Delhi and at India's largest ship breaking yard in Gujarat - Alang. Rahul Kumar reports from the press conference.