A sampling of United Nations related blog commentaryChez Nadezhda: "The Democracy Fund is one of several "UN reform" initiatives that both the US and Annan have embraced, as highlighted in this briefing by Nicholas Burns in June. By announcing the creation of the fund now, with the September summit as a target date for unveiling the thing, it looks like Kofi is giving a boost to the US' fund-raising and organizing efforts. So far, it seems the US has rounded up 25 other countries who, in a letter last month to Annan, have supported Bush's proposal and indicated they are considering providing some financing."
Juan Cole: "Russian Premier Vladimir Putin is pushing the other members of the G8 to give the United Nations a leading role in Iraq and setting a timetable for US withdrawal. As regular readers know, the first part of this plan is one that I have also endorsed. The Russians have explored a role as intermediaries in Iraq, having their ambassador in Baghdad meet with Shiite nationalist Muqtada al-Sadr last month."
Light Up the Darkness: "Updates on the London Bombing Coverage - U.N. Condemns London Terror Strikes - Hours after the bombings in London, the U.N. Security Council "voted unanimously to condemn the terrorist attacks and vowed to bring those responsible to justice." Secretary-General Kofi Annan echoed that sentiment. "These vicious acts have cut us all to the core, for they are an attack on humanity itself," Annan said in a statement. "Today, the world stands shoulder to shoulder with the British people."
Marginal Revolution: "I'll be blogging next week from Monrovia, Liberia. I will try to post three to four times, but the reliability of "internet cafes" in Liberia is suspect at best. Liberia may be the poorest nation in the world. Recent estimates from the world bank indicate that per capita gross national income in Liberia is about half that of Rwanda.... Since the fall of 2003, U.N. troops have been stationed in Liberia to disarm the various factions, keep the peace, and oversee presidential elections (slated for this coming October)."
Steve Clemons: "[T]he battle over Sandra Day O'Connor's seat is only just beginning -- and will dominate the news for the weeks ahead. And yet on top of that drama, we have a major terrorist attack in London -- another tremendous tragedy. That too will take attention and time and calls for the White House to send a constructive, bridge-building personality to the U.N. to strengthen the league of those who stand against this type of violence and want to build an "ideology of hope," to use President Bush's words."
"The Security Council "condemns without reservation the terrorist attacks in London on July 7, 2005 and regards any act of terrorism as a threat to peace and security," said the resolution, drafted by Britain. It urged all nations "to cooperate actively in efforts to find and bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of these barbaric acts." [More]
UN News Service: "United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today joined G8 summit leaders in condemning the "barbaric attacks" that rocked London's public transport system, declaring a united resolve to fight terrorism until victory."
"Secretary-General Kofi Annan has announced the creation of a fund to promote democratric institutions and practices around the world - an idea first proposed by the United States.
The United Nations said Tuesday that since many members have offered to contribute, Annan wanted to set up the fund this summer so interested countries could make donations by September. That's when Annan has invited world leaders to a summit to tackle U.N. reform and agree on measures to meet U.N. development goals, including cutting extreme poverty by half by 2015." [More]
A sampling of United Nations related blog commentaryAgonist: "LAT - The United Nations World Food Program said it has suspended aid shipments to Somalia after gunmen hijacked a vessel it chartered and demanded a $500,000 ransom."
Democracy Arsenal: "The Bush administration's options for advancing the nomination of John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations are now dwindling, and one that officials are now considering is the recess appointment. Bolton's own supposed reluctance to accept a recess appointment may reflect a recognition that interim status would compromise effectiveness. The latest word is that the Senate Republican leadership is realizing this truth as well, and may now try to fold the Bolton nomination into some sort of broader reform pitch. Meanwhile, reform negotiations at the UN are proceeding apace. While its leadership has often been lacking, the U.S. delegation is taking a mostly reasonable line and making progress toward key reforms of the UN's Commission on Human Rights, its peace-building capabilities, and its approach to terrorism. An ill-conceived recess appointment should not be allowed to jeopardize this."
Juan Cole: "Carl Nyberg, a former UN peacekeeper in Cambodia, writes: "I'm skeptical of putting much hope into a UN solution for Iraq's security problems. I was a UN peacekeeper in Cambodia, but don't want to lean too heavily on my personal experience. What I learned from my experience is that it is almost impossible for one person to capture the full story of something as complex as a UN peacekeeping mission."
"The devastating tsunami that struck Asia last year has left several countries that were already vulnerable to AIDS at even greater risk of the deadly disease, United Nations officials said on Monday.
One in four new infections occurs in Asia, home to more than half the world's people, and 1,500 in the region die from the disease each day. Another 12 million could be infected over the next five years if prevention programmes are not stepped up." [Full Story]