WTO GATS Mode 4

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

Under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the movement of natural persons is one of the four ways through which services can be supplied internationally. Otherwise known as “Mode 4”, it covers natural persons who are either service suppliers (such as independent professionals) or who work for a service supplier and who are present in another WTO member to supply a service. It is a multilateral framework available on a non-discriminatory basis to all WTO Member States.

Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM)

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

 As an example of South-South capacity building at a bilateral level: Cuba offers training of health personnel to other developing countries, for example through its Latin American School of Medicine, which produces more than 2000 graduate doctors every year for Latin America and the Caribbean; and its brigades of health professionals to fill resource gaps in poorer countries.

Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM- HP)

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

The Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP) was established in 2003 under the aegis of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to ensure that the education programmes of medicine and other health professions offered by institutions in participating countries are recognised nationally and regionally to be of international standard. This single, common registration mechanism enables doctors and nurses from CARICOM countries to do only one exam and practise anywhere in the region.

Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on Nursing Services

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

The Nursing MRA was signed by ASEAN member countries on December 9, 2006. This Arrangement facilitates the mobility of nursing services professionals within ASEAN, enhances exchange of information and expertise on standards and qualifications, promotes adoption of best practices for professional nursing services and provides opportunities for capacity building and training of nurses.

Retention Program for Health Workers

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

The case of Malawi is one of a developing country with severe health system problems and shortages of skilled workers that is seeking solutions through comprehensive training and retention strategies. Prior to 2004, Malawi had lost some 56% of its workers to HIV/AIDS and 40% through resignations or migration. This had seriously affected the delivery of health. So, in 2004, Malawi adopted a sector-wide approach to human resource development, which addressed in one priority package issues of supply/demand, recruitment/deployment and retention/continuous professional development. 

RuralNet

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

RuralNet, a cooperative venture of rural banks, has been established to provide interconnectivity between rural banks and other players in the formal remittance market in the Philippines. This is seen to potentially address the "unbanked problem". 

To do this, RuralNet offers services including:

  • Online payments to government services
  • Bills payment
  • Loading to a mobile
  • Remittance services
  • Flight bookings
  • Insurance

Publication of Remittance Costs by PROFECO

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

In Mexico, on a weekly basis, the Procuraduria Federal del Consumidor (PROFECO)- the Federal Attorney's Office of Consumer - publishes fee statistics on a USD $300 remittance, the exchange rate banks apply to the payments, dollars received and the total cost of the remittances.

This information helps Mexican migrants make informed choices when sending remittances home. 

Circular on Remittance Agents

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas ('BSP', the Central Bank of the Philippines) issued a circular in January 2005 requiring bank and non-bank financial institutions to s to register with the BSP and to post the charges for their various remittance products including cost clarifications. This is partly to address the non-response of service fees despite the decrease in costs incurred because of automation in the remittance process.

European Commission Communication on Circular Migration, 16 May 2007

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

The EU Communication aims to respond to EC Council's request, based on the existing policy and cooperation framework, to identify novel approaches to improve the management of legal movements of people between the EU and third countries, in order to make significant efforts to fight illegal migration.

Observatory on the Moroccan migrant community living abroad

Submitted by Ms. Laurence BRON on

In 1990, under the patronage of King Hassan II, the Foundation for Moroccans Living Abroad was created to promote economic and cultural co-operation with the diaspora and to support them. This Foundation, in co-operation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) established an Observatory of the Moroccan Community Living Abroad (EOMC), which offers an information system for the government on migration management issues. 

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