Author Archives: Mark Leon Goldberg 
Who is Giving What for Pakistan Relief?
Funding for Pakistan relief efforts is finally starting to roll in ahead of a meeting at the UN General Assembly today. The latest figures released by the UN show that the flash appeal is only $40 million of its $460 million target. That is a big improvement from yesterday, when the fund was only about 50% filled.
Remembering Attacks Against the UN
Seven years ago today, an al Qaeda affiliate blew up the UN headquarters in Iraq, killing the diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello and 23 others. This was the single deadliest attack on UN civilian staff in the field and for the past two years August 19th has been honored as World Humanitarian Day.
Pakistan Can’t Get No Relief
The finance minister of Afghanistan handed over a $1 million check to the Pakistani Ambassador yesterday. For the record, that makes Afghanistan a larger donor to Pakistan flood relief efforts than France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, and Estonia (among others). Not to judge, but is $917,431 for flood relief all that France can really afford right now?
Commissions of Inquiry, the Human Rights Council and the ICC
Colum Lynch reports that the United States is ready to support a “commission of inquiry” into alleged crimes against humanity in Burma. The move, he says, comes as the Obama administration recognizes that a policy of engagement is not working.
Uncommited Pledges on Pakistan
Al Jazeera captures a great quote that speaks to some of the frustrations felt by the first responders to Pakistan’s massive floods:
“We cannot spend pledges. We cannot buy purification tablets, we cannot support Pakistan with pledges,” Daniel Toole, the South Asia regional director for the UN’s children fund, Unicef, said on Tuesday. “I urge the international community to urgently change pledges into cheques.”
Secretary Clinton on the Global Health Initiative and “Filling the Gaps” on the MDGs
Secretary Clinton gave a big speech at Johns Hopkins University on the Obama administration’s Global Health Initiative yesterday. The GHI, as it is known, is a six year, $63 billion plan to improve public health in the developing world. The program builds on some George W. Bush administration successes, like PEPFAR and the President’s Malaria Initiative, to support partner country efforts at building capacity in their public health sectors.
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The SC; HRC; DPRK; South Sudan
The SC: The Security Council today held its last consultations under the Council Presidency of ROK. Tomorrow, Russia will take over the rotating Presidency of the Security Council for March under Ambassador Vitaly Churkin.
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The SG; Mali; Middle East; Palestine
The SG: At the Fifth Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Vienna, Austria today, the SG emphasized the role of youth in ensuring a “prosperous, equitable and peaceful future.”
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The SG; DRC; HRC; Palestinian Prisoner
The SG: In Ethiopia over the weekend, the SG is now in the United Arab Emirates. Today he met with Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, where the two discussed developments in the region, including Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan, and in the Middle East Peace Process.
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