UNCTAD XII Diary: Day Three: Gearing towards Endgame

Seeing as some of the more popular social networking sites for Africa have not been covering UNCTAD XII here in Ghana, I am bringing you a perspective of one of yesterday’s event. Today is Day Four, and it ends tomorrow. As I write this, I shall be briskly getting up to go off to listen to a debate about the strengthening of UNCTAD.

Laters,

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I am currently freezing my backside and much more besides off at the conference room–also known as CONFERENCE HALL — at the NGO/MEDIA Centre situated at the International Conference Centre here in Accra.

This picture serves as a small vignette of what has transpired today. Though I might be exaggerating, lemme just say that it is appropriate and current, because it features from the left to the right Martin Khor (Third World Network-Malaysia) and Yao Graham (Third World Network-Africa) and an Indian diplomat who's ideological stance is far from his seated position (to the right!) On a more serious note, as Marita Hutjes (NOVIB–OXFAM NL) stands up preparing to listen to the debate and participate, I have spent the better part of almost two hours uploading documents here: http://www.unctadxii-csoforum.org/latest.htm.

Ok, so not the best way of checking out the latest uploads, but I have been complementing it with TWO uploads of MP3 files that I captured digitally earlier at a meeting that included someone I know — John Clarke of DG Trade at the European Commission in Brussels. I understand he is now in Geneva, and is Head of EU delegation to UNCTAD XII. I really only know him because he was the guy in Brussels when my colleague Jennifer Cyr was writing reports about the state of play of dialogue between civil society and EU here: http://icdasecretariat.tripod.com/eu_ngo/doharound/lamyanalysis.htm.

As the web-man gotta have some record!

Anyways, that was that. So I know John Clarke (red tie), though he won't be remembering me very quickly.

In any event, the wireless has been working very dandily today. Currently awaiting an UNCTAD official to come give us the state of play of the negotiations. Sounds exciting stuff. Meanwhile to hear the MP3s, please check: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unctadxii-info/files/