Month: July 2007

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In support of UN Peacekeeping Missions

by Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. BidenFeature07.jpg Ten years ago, I stood on the floor of the U.S. Senate to introduce a bill, which eventually became known as the "Helms-Biden law", to authorize the payment of nearly $1 billion in back dues to the United Nations. Securing its passage was a hard-fought, but worthwhile, initiative. Unfortunately, we are again in arrears to the UN. For over a year, we have not been paying our full contribution for its peacekeeping operations -- missions in places like Lebanon, Sudan, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kosovo -- that advance our national interests while sharing the human, political and financial costs of peacekeeping with other nations.

UNHCR appeals for urgent aid for Iraqi refugees

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has urged the United States and others to assist Syria and Jordan, the two countries caring for the biggest proportion of Iraqi refugees. "It is unconscionable that generous host countries be left on their own to deal with such a huge crisis," UNHCR spokesperson Ron Redmond said. "We strongly urge governments to step forward now to support them in dealing with this situation and renew our call for international solidarity and burden sharing." Syria and Jordan have estimated 2 million Iraqi refugees between them. More

UN Global Compact Leaders Summit adopts declaration on responsible practices

Business leaders attending the second UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva adopted a declaration complying with labor, human rights, environmental and anti-corruption standards.
Some 4,000 organizations from 116 countries - among them trade unions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and some 3,100 businesses - have so far subscribed to the Global Compact, pledging to observe ten universal principles related to human rights, labour rights, the environment and the struggle against corruption.
The Declaration says, "Poverty, income inequality, protectionism and the absence of decent work opportunities pose serious threats to world peace and markets." More

The UN and Counterterrorism

Writing in the Washington Post, Column Lynch exposes the conundrum raised by Abdul Hakim Monib, an Afghan provincial governor who is at once a key American ally and on a UN list of suspected international terrorists. Monib, you see, was a former Taliban leader who broke ranks in 2002 and joined the government of Hamid Kharzai. But the sanctions list hasn't been updated to reflect Monib's reconciliation with Kharzai, so dealing with him can be somewhat legally troubling.
"This is a perfect case where time has passed, things have changed, but the committee hasn't and the list hasn't," [Eric Rosand of the Center on Global Counter-Terrorism Cooperation said.] "The list is so poorly managed that no one has confidence in it anymore, and nobody puts forward names."
The committee to which Rosand refers is the U.N. Security Council's Al-Qaeda and Taliban sanctions panel, which was formed in 1999. In last month's installment of UNF Insights, Rosand explains why, exactly, the Al Qaeda sanctions list is stale, and what can be done to enhance the UN's counter-terrorism work.

Taiwan had to join the United Nations, or Ozzy Wouldn’t Play that Night

Every year for the past fourteen years Taiwan has applied for membership to the United Nations. Each time the application is denied by China. But now, those seeking to block Taiwain's national aspirations will have rocker Ozzy Osbourne to contend with. The Taiwanese government has teamed with an Ozzy-backed band, ChthoniC, to promote Taiwan joining the 192 other countries in the United Nations General Assembly. In an 80 city, four country tour the Taiwanese goth band will literally sing the virtues of UN membership.

Ban urges action at Global Compact Leaders Summit

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged action on climate change and other concerns in an address to the Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva. "This Summit is an important opportunity to take our partnership forward - in learning as well as action," Ban said. "Over these two days, we must make an honest appraisal of what the Global Compact has achieved, renew our commitments, and chart a courageous course for the next three years."
The Secretary-General stressed the importance of joint actions to address climate change and announced the planned launch of a Business Leadership Platform on "Caring for Climate" - a joint project with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
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One Step Closer on North Korea

A report leaked to the Associated Press suggests that the IAEA and North Korea have formally reached an agreement on the containment and surveillance of North Korean nuclear facilities. From the AP:
The confidential four-page report said North Korea has agreed to provide International Atomic Energy Agency experts with needed technical information, access and other help needed to shut down North Korea's plutonium-producing Yongbyon nuclear facility. The report will be discussed by the agency's 35-nation board and is expected to be approved as early as Monday, paving the way for the beginning of the IAEA mission overseeing the shutdown and eventual dismantling of the Yongbyon facility.
This report from Vienna, plus news stemming from a meeting between Kim Jong Ill and China's foreign minister, seems to confirm a newfound willingness among the North Korean government to cooperate with the international community on nuclear disarmament. Obviously, it is too early to declare victory. But we do seem to be closer to North Korean disarmament than anytime time since 2002, when DPRK withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty and booted IAEA inspectors from North Korea.

Ban speaks out on anti-poverty goals

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that the world's goals for fighting poverty remain achievable in most countries, but only if urgent and concerted action is taken.
Addressing the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva, Mr. Ban said the mid-point progress report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - which was released today - contained encouraging messages. "Countries in Africa and elsewhere are demonstrating that rapid and large-scale progress on the MDGs is possible," Mr. Ban said, referring to the set of eight development objectives which world leaders have agreed to work towards by the target date of 2015.
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New Blogging Heads

In a new edition of Blogging Heads TV, Matthew Lee and I discuss a week's worth of news at the United Nations. We have it all covered, from UN peacekeeping funding, to the tragic UNIFIL fatalities, to Somalia. Matthew offers an interesting perspective -- he's someone "on the ground," blogging from the fourth floor of the UN Secretariat every day. While we certainly don't see eye-to-eye on everything, he is an excellent sparring partner. Particularly enlightening to me was our discussion on equipment shortages at UN peacekeeping. Apparently, says Matthew, the truck carrying the Spanish peacekeepers in Lebanon was not equiped with a so-called "frequency inhibitor" which can prevent roadside bombs from detonating. As Matthew says, this is considered a "national issue" and Spain, not the UN, is responsible for providing their soldiers' equipment. Watch the entire dicussion.