WORLD TRADE WT/L/227
16September 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-3670)
Original: Spanish
COMMUNICATION FROM CUBA
Thefollowing communication, dated 4September 1997, fromthePermanent Mission ofCuba
isbeing circulated fortheinformation ofMembers attherequest oftheCuban delegation.
_________________
COMMEMORATION OFTHE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OFTHE HAVANA
CONFERENCE ONTRADE AND EMPLOYMENT
General Information
Ontheoccasion ofthecelebration, inNovember 1997, ofthe50thanniversary oftheopening
ofthe1947United Nations Conference onTrade andEmployment, which concluded inthefollowing
yearwiththesigning oftheHavana Charter, asthefirststeptowards thecreation ofthemultilateral
tradingsystem,ourcountryispreparingtoorganizeacommemorativeeventfrom19-21November1997
initscapacity asthehostcountry ofthatConference andafounding Member oftheGATT in1948.
TheWTO Secretariat hasexpressed itssupport forthisCuban initiative, relating ittothe
commemorative activities tobecarried outbytheOrganization ontheoccasion ofthe50thanniversary
oftheestablishment ofthemultilateral trading system. Wehavealsohadthecooperation ofthe
UNCTAD Secretariat fororganizing andholding thisevent.
Theplanned activities include aSolemn Commemoration on21November itself, thedatewhen
the1947Havana Conference opened, towhich wehaveinvited allthecountries present onthatoccasion
together withthehighest-level officials oftheUnited Nations, WTO, UNCTAD andothertrade-related
international andregional organizations, aswellastheholding ofanInternational Seminar on19and
20November.
Thepurpose oftheInternational Seminar willbetocarry outacritical analysis ofthe50years
ofthemultilateral trading system inrelation todevelopment, andallthose interested inthetopics to
bediscussed mayparticipate inapersonal capacity.
TheSeminar willlasttwodaysandconsist offoursessions, ateachofwhich threepapers will
bepresented byCuban orforeign academics. Thediscussions during thefirsttwosessions willcentre
onthescientific debate onglobalization, macroeconomic andconceptual issues, aswellastheprospects
andchallenges facing theworld trading system and,inthiscontext, thedeveloping countries.
Thethirdsession willbedevoted toregionalization, itsinfluence oninternational trade, and
theanalysis ofthefeatures ofintegration processes indifferent regions oftheworld.WT/L/227
Page2
Thelastmajor theme willconcern Cuba'sintegration ininternational trade, economic openness
andtheimplications, bothforourcountry andfortheworld trading system, oftheHelms-Burton Act
asanexpression oftheextraterritorial actions threatening it.
Forthisoccasion weareinviting major research centres anduniversities aswellaseminent
academics andscholars oftheissues tobediscussed topresent papers dealing withthethree major
themes mentioned above:
- Theglobalization process, theworld trading system andthesituation ofdeveloping
countries;
- trends towards regionalization, regional cooperation andintegration processes andtheir
impact ontheworld trading system;
- Cuba50yearsaftertheHavanaConferenceanditsintegrationintheinternationaltrading
system.
TheSeminar willbeheldintheHavana Convention Centre andthere willbenoregistration
fee.TheConvention Centre Bureau willoffer five-day package trips(from 18-23 November) with
preferential ratesincluding room, breakfast andtransfers airport-hotel-airport. Accommodation will
beinthePalco Hotel, which ispartoftheConvention Centre where theevent willbeheld.
Those interested should directly contact:
Palacio deConvenciones delaHabana
Lic.EvaPaula Bravo (OPC)
Apartado Postal 16046 LaHabana, Cuba
Telephone: 22-6011 to17,extension 1513/21-5609
Telex: 511609 palco cu
Fax:(537)21-9496 or22-8382
E.mail: palco@ceniai.cu
ThedraftprogrammesfortheSolemnCommemorationandtheInternationalSeminarareannexed
hereto.WT/L/227
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PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME OFACTIVITIES TOCOMMEMORATE THE
50TH ANNIVERSARY OFTHE HAVANA CHARTER
Solemn Commemoration
21November 1997
Havana Capitol
Morning
9a.m.-9.30 a.m. Inauguration
(Openingaddress,statementsbythetop-levelrepresentativesoftheinternational
organisations attending theevent)
9.30a.m.-10 a.m. Recess
(Acommemorative plaque willbeunveiled andastamp commemorating the
datewillbeissued)
10a.m.-12 Noon Special statements byPanel ofHigh-Level Guests
12Noon-12.30 p.m. Closure
Evening Official Reception
NB: Intheevening of20November, ontheeveofthesolemn commemoration, acultural galawill
beorganized forCommemoration guests andInternational Seminar participants.WT/L/227
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INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ONTHE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM
19-20 November 1997, Convention Centre
19November
Thematic content ofthesessions: "The globalization process, themultilateral trading system
andthesituation ofdeveloping countries"
8.30a.m.-9 a.m. Opening
9a.m.-10.45 a.m. Papers (2)
10.45 a.m.-11.15 a.m. Break
11.15 a.m.-12.30 p.m. Paper (1)
Lunch
2p.m.-3.45 p.m. Papers (2)
3.45p.m.-4.15 p.m. Break
4.15p.m.-5.30 p.m. Paper (1)
20November
Thematic content ofthemorning session: "Regionalization trends, regional cooperation and
integration processes andtheirimpact onthemultilateral trading system"
8.30a.m.-10.45 a.m. Papers (2)
10.45 a.m.-11.15 a.m. Break
11.15 a.m.-12.30 p.m. Paper (1)
Lunch
Thematic content oftheafternoon session: "Cuba 50years aftertheHavana Conference, and
itsintegration intheinternational trading system"
2p.m.-3.45 p.m. Papers (2)
3.45p.m.-4.15 p.m. Break
4.15p.m.-5.30 p.m. Paper (1)
5.30p.m.-6 p.m. Closure