Security Council reform: when and how it can be done
14/1/2025: At the Summit of the Future in September 2024, world leaders made a commitment to consider reforming the Security Council. Five key issues will be explored in negotiations: the size of an enlarged Security Council, membership categories, regional representation, veto-related questions and the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly.
Source: PassBlue
6 good news stories from 2024
17/12/2024: Concern for global development is invariably tested by incessantly difficult news. This year has seen relentless stories of budget cuts and ineffective multilateral negotiations. It’s important to remember that there is good news out there, too.
Source: Devex
Dues owed by US and China undermine UN rights investigations
16/12/2024: The UN has a liquidity crisis thanks to member states not paying their dues, particularly the US and China who together owe $1 billion in regular contributions and another $1 billion for peacekeeping. The lack of liquid funds makes it difficult for UN human rights investigators to fulfill their mandates.
Source: Human Rights Watch
UN trembles before a second Trump Presidency
15/11/2024: Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20 next year may be another calamity for the United Nations—particularly if the second term turns out to be a re-run of his first presidency (2017-2021). Those were difficult years to say the least in terms of US-UN relations.
Source: Inter Press Service
WTO confusion over reappointment of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
14/11/2024: The chair of the World Trade Organization’s General Council is instigating the reappointment of the incumbent Director-General, without formal approval of the members. Some are concerned at the apparent haste to complete the process before the Trump Administration takes office.
Source: Third World Network
Which 2 African States should get a permanent seat in the Security Council?
10/11/2024: An informal reader survey has favoured South Africa and Nigeria for the two mooted permanent seats on the UN Security Council. The enthusiastic response indicates the growing urgency with which reform of the Security Council is viewed, particularly among developing nations. The choice of which two countries should get seats — if it happens — would have to be made by heads of government at an African Union summit.
Source: PassBlue
Somalia elected non-permanent member of the UN Security Council
7/6/2024: Somalia was elected unopposed by the UN General Assembly after the African Union agreed in principle earlier this year. Being a member of the Council is a turnaround for Somalia’s stature on the international stage, having been under UN sanctions until last December. Somalia had last served on the Council in 1971-72 term, during the reign of the Siad Barre regime.
Source: The East African
Civil society must raise ambition of Summit for the Future
29/5/2024: Civil society leaders have called for a more ambitious Pact for the Future to be presented to the UN Summit in September. They share an overwhelming sense that the global response to the gravity and scale of current world crises is fundamentally ineffective.
Source: Amnesty International
Summit of the Future: A historical pivot or mere footnote?
7/5/2024: Four major initiatives are emerging through negotiations on drafts of the Pact for the Future, to be presented to the UN Summit of the Future in September. Much work remains to be done to overcome great-power tensions, especially over Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, that risk paralyzing the intergovernmental negotiations.
Source: PassBlue
The UN Pact for the Future needs something old, new, borrowed and blue
17/4/2024: UN member states will gather in New York in September to negotiate a Pact for the Future, a possible blueprint for multilateral cooperation in the 21st century. The initial “zero draft” of the Pact is a timid text that lacks many of the sensible ideas proposed by the UN Secretary-General.
Source: PassBlue