All over the developing world, European Union (EU) policies continue to seriously undermine people's rights, because these policies are not coherent with development objectives. The EU fails to comply with its own treaty obligations, according to a new study released by the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development (CONCORD), reported the African Press Organization (APO).

International development cooperation “is and must be regarded as a  global public good” and with full participation of the civil society, according with the contribution of a thousand Latin American and Caribbean organizations to the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness that will be held next week in Busan, South Korea.

Thirty-nine Egyptian human rights and development organizations have drafted a new law to regulate NGOs and sent a copy to Prime Minister Essam Sharaf. The proposed law provides for the autonomy of Egyptian civil society organizations from the state and its administrative apparatus. At the same time, it guarantees the transparent operation of these organizations in terms of their activities and sources of funding.

Photo: CSA

Civil society is not standing with arms crossed in view of the seeming impasse of the deliberations on the way to the United Nations Climate Change Conference that will begin on Nov 28 in Durban, South Africa. Dozens of organizations launched an urgent call to persuade the industrialized countries to renew their commitment to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and they also prepare mobilizations for climate justice all over the world for the next week, on the eve of the meeting.

Nicole Werner (Photo: Alliance Sud)

Yet another UN climate conference will take place at the end of November in Durban, South Africa. It is the last chance to seamlessly replace the Kyoto Protocol – which expires in 2012 – with a follow-up protocol, warned Nicole Werner, expert on environment and climate of Alliance Sud, focal point of Social Watch in Switzerland.