One week before the official Asia-Europe government meeting (ASEM) gathers in Milan, over 400 people from 42 countries in Europe and Asia gathered at the 10th Asia-Europe Peoples forum (AEPF) to present their demands and recommendations.
Two years ago, at the 9th AEPF, Sombath Somphone gave the keynote speech at the opening session of the Forum in Vientiane. Two months after this vibrant AEPF in Laos he disappeared. This year his wife Shui Meng Ng gave the keynote speech, to remind us of Sombath's vision.
Reclaiming Development, a closely-argued critique of neoliberal economic policy, is debunking development orthodoxies at its best. Republished now, ten years after its first appearance, the book has lost none of its relevance for students and those trying to re-direct economic policies away from their financialized doom-loops.
We, the undersigned, are writing to express our deep dismay at the lack of political will to conduct a serious investigation into the disappearance of Mr. Sombath Somphone.
Is BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa), comprising some of the world’s biggest, fastest-growing economies, about to rewrite the rules of global political and economic governance?
As the Social Movements Assembly of the World Social Forum of Tunisia, 2013, we are gathered here to affirm the fundamental contribution of peoples of Maghreb-Mashrek (from North Africa to the Middle East), in the construction of human civilization.
On December 15th 2012 Sombath Somphone disappeared, taken away in a truck by unknown persons after being stopped by police in the Lao capital, Vientiane. Nobody has seen or heard from him since.Today, March 25th 2013, is the 100th day since Sombath’s disappearance.
The Human Development Report 2013 highlights the rise of the Global South as the main drivers of the world economy, but rapid economic growth does not always equate to improvements in human development as India's experience shows.
Despite much optimism, there are clear indications that BRICS lacks the capacity to function as a powerful and innovative new force in the realm of global politics and governance.
A European Delegation was in the Lao Capital, Vientiane from the 6th to 9th of March 2013 to express their grave concern that Sombath Somphone, highly respected member of Lao civil society, has still not returned safely to his family.
Between the 26th and 28th of January 2013, the CELAC Summit (EU-LAC) will be held in Santiago, Chile. A Peoples Summit will be held in parallel from 25-27th of January.
The People’s Summit held in Santiago Chile focused on the themes of Social Justice, International Solidarity and the Defense of the Commons. The Summit was organised in parallel to the EU-Latin America (CELAC) official summit where bi-regional investment dominated the agenda.
The Asia-Europe People’s Forum requested a delegation of ASEAN parliamentarians to visit the Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic to investigate the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, the prominent Lao leader of civil society.
Alternative development and crop substitution programmes seem to be a guise for the Chinese government to support large scale agro businesses in Northern Burma and Laos.
An illuminating essay on historical developments in Russia's foreign policy over the last century that argues that only internal political collapse now has the chance to inaugurate a new foreign policy relevant to a post-crisis world.
The EU debt crisis foretells a more serious global debt crisis, caused by unlimited growth and the ongoing financial casino. Latin America's emerging financial and regional architecture offers hope for a new type of integration based on solidarity.
The Euro crisis is more than an economic crisis; it has also unveiled an insidious disregard for democracy at the heart of the European project. How can we democratise the EU "from below"?
The ancient discussion about the purposes of wealth and the conflict between oligarchy – rule of the rich – and democracy – the rule of the demos/the people comes to the fore once again with the Occupy protests.
The free market approach to food security has depended too heavily on an unsustainable system of cheap food imports and high fossil-fuel consumption. It's time to counter this by supporting environmentally efficient small farms, and increasing investment in agro-ecological research.
Whose interest does the ten-year Strategy document for Africa actually serve? The World Bank has shown little insight into the real problems Africa faces, focusing instead on ineffective policies, support for repressive regimes and projects that are known to have failed.
