As we approach our 35th
year, 2018 has been a
year of assessment,
consolidation and
growth. I see both ⎼
accomplishments and
milestones ⎼ that CUTS
has achieved and our
unfinished but
continuing agenda. In
both the situations, I
am convinced that more
intensive and extensive
work is to be done not
only by CUTS but also by
other likeminded groups,
particularly for seeking
solutions to the myriad
problems that the world
in general, and India,
in particular, face. We
are proud to share with
you some of our most
memorable achievements
of the last year.
In April 2018, we
launched our 6th
overseas centre in
Washington DC, USA to
capture and promote the
spirit of closer
cooperation with the US
on several economic and
strategic issues in the
context of Indo-Pacific
region and in
partnership with
Australia and Japan,
reaching out to Africa
at the other end.
The organisation was
admitted as the 30th
partner of UNCTAD for
its e-trade programme. I
was invited by the UN
Economic Commission of
Africa as an Expert on
Competition Policy and
Consumer Protection in
the preparation of draft
protocols for the
upcoming Africa
Continental Free Trade
Agreement.
I hope that in the
future we will be able
to scale up our work
with the intended
impact. I am extremely
grateful to all the
development partners,
individuals and
institutions, experts,
media and academia, and
government departments
and private groups who
have continuously
extended their support.
Equally important are
efforts of my colleagues
who have collectively
contributed to the
success of the
organisation.
Wish you the very best
for 2019.
Pradeep S Mehta,
Secretary General, CUTS
International
TRADE
Building
consensus on
cross border
trade using
small boats
The
prospects of
allowing
mechanised
boats (20-50
tonne
capacity) to
navigate
across
border
between
Dhubri
(India) and
Chilmari
(Bangladesh)
by
identifying
the
potential
cargo as
well as the
socio
economic
benefits of
cross border
trade were
highlighted
by CUTS, and
its
recommendations
were
discussed in
the 19th
Standing
Committee on
Protocol,
following
which both
were
declared as
‘Ports of
Call’ in the
respective
countries.Read More
BBIN Motor
Vehicles
Pact to be a
Game-changer
CUTS and
its
country
partners
have
been
able to
reachout
to more
than
2,100
people
in
Bangladesh,
Bhutan,
India
and
Nepal
(BBIN)
and
Myanmar
sub-region.
It has
also
been
able to
effectively
communicate
the
livelihood
and
gender
concerns
of
grassroot
stakeholders
to
policymakers
which
would
help
them in
making
the
Motor
Vehicles
Agreement
an
inclusive
agreement. Read More
Inspired
Climate
Talks’
Agriculture
Roadmap
CUTS
Geneva
supported
East
African
countries
in
drafting
of a
regional
submission
to
United
Nations
Framework
Convention
on
Climate
Change
(UNFCCC)
on the
Koronivia
Joint
Work on
Agriculture.
It also
proposed
a
roadmap
for the
Koronivia
Joint
Work on
Agriculture,
which
the
UNFCCC
membership
reflected
in the
outcomes
of the
Bonn
Climate
Conference
in May
2018. Read More
Ensuring
Food
and
Nutrition
Security
CUTS
Nairobi
has
been
working
through
the
Voice
for
Change
Partnership
(V4CP)
to
engage
key
players
in
the
dairy
industry
to
turn
the
situation
around.
James
Kariithi,
Coordinator,
Agricultural
Sector
Development
Support
Programme,
Laikipia
County
opined
that
CUTS
and
V4CP’s
partnership
has
added
value
to
their
work
by
increasing
awareness
that
food
security
is
not
only
about
volume
but
also
about
nutrition
and
safety. Read More
REGULATION
Need to Operate Taxis on Clean Fuel
CUTS Centre for Competition, Investment & Economic Regulation prepared a research report covering cost benefit analysis of select provisions and broad recommendations on potential regulatory alternatives. The report was well received by the media as well as policymakers and a presentation was delivered before the NITI Aayog and Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways. The same was also listed as a valuable resource for the MOVE Global Mobility Summit held at New Delhi in September 2018.Read More
Rolling out Digital Economy
CUTS Hanoi advocated for the need of promoting Digital Economy in the country, by showcasing the benefits brought forth by digital technologies. The need for optimal regulations was also stressed upon, based on the challenges faced by the digital economy due to sub-optimal regulations. The primary and secondary research conducted for these, yielded a research report entitled 'Enabling a Digital Economy for Inclusive Development in Vietnam' which was released in an international conference in Bangkok in August 2018. Read More
Prioritising Passage of Competition Law
The Ghanaian Trade Minister and Ghana International Trade Commission acknowledged the relentless efforts of CUTS Ghana in ensuring that Ghana has a functional competition policy and law to guide the conduct of the market and enhance enabling business environment for the private sector. Frank Agyekum, Secretary, Ghana International Trade Commission assured that the government will prioritise the passage of the law in 2019. Read More
GOVERNANCE
Revisiting 74th Constitutional Amendment Act
The National Conference on ‘25 Years of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act’ organised in association with NITI Aayog not only received appreciation from policymakers but also attracted a lot of attention in leading national and regional dailies. The gaps and challenges in the implementation of 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA) even after 25 years became a topic of discussion and concern in the policy circles. CUTS urged policymakers/stakeholders to assess the Indian urban scenario as the time has come to revisit the 74th CAA. The Act has lacunae and major implementation gaps that need to be addressed in keeping with the times, using principles of democratic decentralisation in true sense and strengthening of governance structure at urban local level.Read More
Disability Matters – Let's Make their Votes Count
CUTS Centre for Human Development received appreciation by District Election Commission, Chittorgarh for effective interventions in the area of electoral registration ⎼ meaningful and high voter turnout with greater participation from persons with disability under Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) Programme launched by the Election Commission of India. Read More
CUTS and Lusaka City Council Sign an MoU
CUTS Lusaka signed an MoU with the Lusaka City Council to cooperate in raising consumer awareness on the need to move away from mono diets. This is important given that Zambia has the highest levels of malnutrition in Africa. Both the institutions would jointly organise discussions on consumer rights and responsibilities on diet-related issues and share information on programmes, activities and projects of mutual interest.
