Highlights of previous years:  2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001| 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | 1993

Peace and Security

The NGOWG on the Security Council meets with Ambassador Baso Sangqu of South Africa

Global Policy Forum follows closely the work of the Security Council, the UN’s most powerful body. GPF works to inform the public about the Council's work, focusing on how economic interests and geo-strategy affect the conflicts on the Council's agenda. In 2011, we organized more than 40 meetings between key NGO representatives and a Security Council ambassador or a high UN official. These included eight luncheon meetings organized by the Indian and South African missions. We followed certain conflict zones especially closely, particularly Afghanistan, Haiti, Israel/Palestine, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We also worked on thematic issues, including Council reform, peacekeeping, sanctions and private military companies.  We continued to be especially interested in the link between natural resources and conflict - how diamonds, timber, gold, oil and other resources fuel wars and the breakdown of governments and democratic practice. In 2011, we explored how illegal fishing and toxic waste dumping by foreign ships off the coast of Somalia was connected to the development of piracy there. We continued to be critical of the doctrine of "protection of civilians," which has led to increasingly violent approaches to UN peacekeeping. As the Security Council prepared to authorize “all necessary measures” to “protect civilians” in Libya, we warned that such an approach could quickly lead to military escalation that would put civilians in even greater danger.

Food & Hunger

In 2011, GPF intensified its work on food and hunger and its advocacy efforts at the UN. The NGO Working Group on Food & Hunger was very active, bringing together a number of NGO partners in New York and beyond for information-sharing, public education and joint advocacy. As the devastating famine in the horn of Africa made the headlines, we tried to draw attention to the deep-seated causes of world hunger that the world must address to prevent such crises from reoccurring. The Working Group published a major policy statement to the General Assembly, urging member states to address pressing issues and adopt a stronger resolution on food security. The statement was a solid basis for advocacy and education. We organized more than thirty internal meetings of the WG and advocacy events, as well as public meetings on food issues for the UN community. These meetings and events were an opportunity to raise the profile of key issues - such as land grabbing, the influence of financial speculation on food prices, and the diversion of grains to produce biofuels – with member states and the general public. In November, the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Olivier de Schutter spoke at a Working Group public luncheon on recent developments in food policy.

The Working Group met with numerous country delegations during the year. We were closely in touch with the Mission of France at the UN, which took a leading role as president of the G20 to address the impact of financial speculation on food commodities. We also remained in close contact with organizations member of the Civil Society Mechanism at the Rome-based Committee on World Food Security.

 UN Reform

GPF's conference on Security Council in Brussles ended with a session at the European Partliament

GPF continued to provide analysis and information about UN reform, emphasizing that the world body is constrained by the outlook and interests of its most powerful member states. Reform cannot by itself solve global problems, but it sometimes can help. GPF has long advocated for regional seats on the Security Council, as we believe it to be the most democratic way to reform the Council. In May 2011, GPF organized an international conference in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss the possibility of a European seat on the Security Council. Forty-two experts gathered to discuss the issue, seen as a dimension of growing regionalism in global governance and a way to better represent all the world's people on vital issues of peace and security. In preparation for the conference, GPF thoroughly updated its website section on Security Council reform, with a focus on regional representation.

United Nations Finance

The global economic crisis is putting strain on the UN’s comparatively small budget. GPF's program on UN finance seeks better funding and a more imaginative approach to the budget process. In 2011, we continued to develop our series of tables and charts on UN finance, under the overall direction of GPF Senior Research Fellow Klaus Huefner. We also explored the possibility of “alternative sources of financing” for global priorities, including the UN budget. Financial Transaction Taxes can raise substantial revenues while taxing those individuals and economic sectors that have the financial capacities to pay.

NGOs & Global Governance

We continued our active research and advocacy on the worldwide NGO movement, pushing in particular for greater NGO access at the UN. NGOs contribute much to the United Nations through their information, ideas, advocacy and attentive monitoring. While the UN is more open to NGOs than it used to be, it still remains far too closed and restrictive. NGOs should not be idealized, though, and there are many questions to be asked, especially about "astroturf" NGOs formed by governments and by businesses.  Even large and respected NGOs are subject to multiple pressures for political conformity and integration into the military-security system. In 2011, we continued to work in partnership with others and we took a leadership role in the NGO Working Group on NGO Access at the UN.

In April, GPF’s Jim Paul participated in a conference at the University of Uppsala on “Global Civil Society: Shifting Powers in a Shifting World,” where he delivered a paper on civil society at the UN. Jim also wrote two essays on NGOs for Oxford University Press reference books. 

In March, GPF’s Program Coordinator Lou Pingeot participated in a panel on the advisory role of NGOs at the UN organized by the German Consulate in New York. The discussion was organized for a delegation of the German Federal College for Security Studies – BAKS.

Nations & States

During the year, GPF continued its analysis of the role of "Nations & States" in a globalized world. We looked at how the global economy - through export processing zones, dollarization, tax havens and transnational corporations - has transformed state sovereignty and undermined state financing. We also provided information on political integration, "failed states," emerging states and claims by groups to autonomy and national independence. The world economic crisis showed the continued importance of states as economic managers and creditors of last resort, but the crisis also spotlighted the weakness of states in contrast to global financial companies and markets. States appear to be at risk of collapse if they cannot assure their citizens access to food, water, education and social peace.

International Justice

In 2011, we provided analysis and information on many key aspects of international justice. In a paper, we analyzed how the creation of the Office of the Ombudsperson of the Security Council’s 1267 Committee was a first step towards Security Council accountability under international law, by providing some degree of due process for individuals blacklisted by the Al Qaeda-Taliban sanctions committee.

Media

In 2011, we gave 32 interviews to media outlets all over the world, including radio, television, newspapers, magazines and websites. Among the many media were, al-Jazeera, Le Monde, China Television, Saudi Television, ZDF German Television, NHK Japan Television, and InterPress Service. The topics of the interviews included UN reform and UN finance, the global food crisis, Libya and Somalia. This media activity enabled GPF to reach many millions of people with our information and analysis.

Website and Social Media

GPF’s website is one of the world's largest NGO sites on the UN and global policy.  It was visited by half a million people in 2011. Our new "Update," launched in December 2010, provided news about GPF activities. We continued building our Twitter and Facebook accounts, and are now present on Tumblr.

In 2011, GPF also introduced its new logo!

Conferences, Lectures and Meeting Participation 

Professor Karima Bennoune from Rutgers University presents at GPF's event on Palestinian membership at the UN

In addition to the forty meetings and events of the NGO Working Group on the Security Council and the six public luncheon events of the NGO Working Group on Food & Hunger, GPF organized several other public events during the year, including a major event in September on the Palestinian membership bid at the UN and two events on innovative financing for development.

Internship

The 2011 Fall Team

In 2011, we hosted three teams of interns in our New York office - a total of 16 people from 9 different countries. The interns coordinated working groups, updated the website, provided research assistance and worked on numerous projects, including papers and interviews. We organized thirty-one special luncheons, putting the interns in touch with members of the UN community - NGOs, diplomats, Secretariat officials and other UN staff. We wrote numerous recommendation letters and gave career support to current and former interns. In April, GPF also organized a dinner for former interns based in the New York area.

Staff / Senior Fellows / Advisors

Doreen Stabinsky, Professor at the College of the Atlantic, became a Senior Fellow at GPF. Klaus Huefner continued to work as Senior Research Fellow from Berlin, with a special focus on UN finance. His data series in this area is well-known to all scholars and policy experts. Céline Nahory actively engaged with GPF on a variety of issues as Senior Advisor from Mumbai. In November, Lou Pingeot celebrated her one year anniversary as GPF’s program coordinator.

Budget & Fundraising

In 2011, GPF's headquarters budget was $270,000. Half of this sum came from donations from individuals. The remainder came from foundations, partner organizations, fees and other sources. GPF Europe had a budget in 2011 of €165,000. Most of its funding comes from partner organizations and foundations, with the balance from individual members. With a consolidated budget total of only about $500,000, GPF accomplished a remarkable amount. We thank all the donors and friends whose support makes this work possible.