Monitoring Policy Making at the United Nations |
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What Was New What's New
Week of February 25 - 29, 2008
Iraq Security Council Empire? Social and Economic Policy NGOs Nations and States UN Reform International Justice
Iraq
Ultra-Rich Lobby Group With Influence at Number Ten (February 12, 2008)
The UK government released documents exposing the details of meetings between Tony Blair and a lobbying group of the UK’s wealthiest businessmen after a two year struggle to keep the information hidden from the public. The group consists of the “the heads of Britain’s most powerful corporations,” including influential international oil firms such as British Petroleum and Shell. The executive heads pushed for less corporate regulation as an additional incentive for their continued support of the Iraq war. (Guardian)Sunni Volunteers Angry over Civilian Deaths (February 18, 2008)
US forces killed Iraqi civilian security guards assigned to checkpoints by the US-allied group, the Sons of Iraq, making this the third incident in two weeks. The regional security of Iraq often depends on the support of these civilian fighters but now, many of the guards have deserted in defiance of “careless US behavior.” The US military claims it fired after sensing a threat, however, Mohammed Ghrairi, a tribal leader of Babil province, said US troops were unfamiliar with the positioning of Sons of Iraq checkpoints in the area. (Los Angeles Times)Under Curfew, This Is No Life (January 24, 2008)
Curfews in Iraq take place every day under the US occupation, while they occurred only twice under the rule of Saddam Hussein: “for the census in the 1970s and 1980s.” Curfews restrict the flow of people, public goods and services, resulting in tolls on the economic, psychological, educational and medical aspects of life in Iraq. If Iraqi citizens have a medical emergency, they must stay indoors and young children remain unable to go to school. (Inter Press Service)Foreign Firms Seek Iraq Oil Deals (February 18, 2008)
In the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq, over seventy oil firms have applied for the rights to cultivate Iraq’s oil reserves. With access to the third largest oil reserve in the world, Iraq has unsurprisingly received bids from “established oil firms with plans for years to gain access to these natural resources.” Foreign oil companies are not the only ones concerned with the reserves; Iraqi legislators and the government in Baghdad have yet to resolve questions over who will control the oil. (Al-Jazeera)Security Council
Iran Is Challenged over Nuclear Program (February 22, 2008)
The International Atomic Energy Agency will present a report to the Security Council offering a “mixed picture” of Iran’s nuclear program, says the International Herald Tribune. The report suggests that Iran has answered many of the questions posed by the UN agency, but also notes that the country has refused to stop the production of uranium fuel – which could be used to construct a bomb. The Council is considering a new resolution on Iran; with the US, France and the UK pushing for tougher sanctions against Tehran.Report of the IAEA to the Security Council (February 22, 2008)
This official International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, submitted to the Security Council, records an open verdict on Iran’s nuclear program. The report states that Iran has answered many key questions on the development of a weapons program. However, Iran has refused to cooperate with the IAEA over US allegations that Tehran is attempting to enrich uranium and develop nuclear missile warheads – describing the accusations as “baseless” and “fabricated.”Security Council Resolution 1802 on Timor-Leste (February 25, 2008)
The Security Council has extended the mandate of the UN Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) by twelve months. The extension follows disturbances in the country after the attempted assassinations of the President and Prime Minister in February 2008, by a group loyal to rebel leader Alfredo Reinado. The mandate allows UNMIT to strengthen democratic institutions and support the police in providing a safe environment for Timorese citizens.The End of Multilateralism? (February 19, 2008)
This Guardian article suggests that the unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo is illegal, and damages the multilateral settlements of disputes at the UN. The author explains that independence has been justified at the Security Council by a narrow analysis of human rights within the province, and an explanation that the Serbs effectively lost sovereignty of the area when the United Nations (UNMIK) entered Kosovo in 1999. However, the article argues that these justifications do not take into account similar human rights violations against Serbs in the province, and that the presence of UNMIK derived from an illegal use of force by NATO.SUDAN-UGANDA: Optimism As Government, LRA Sign Ceasefire (February 25, 2008)
This article reports on the signing of a permanent ceasefire between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government on February 24, 2008. The ceasefire formally ends the war that has torn Northern Uganda for over two decades. Final provisions relating to the integration of former-LRA combatants into the national army remain unresolved, but there is optimism that a settlement will be reached. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)Stiffing the Blue Helmets (February 21, 2008)
President Bush has heralded peaceful “democratic transition” in Africa while at the same time severely short-changing the UN peacekeeping budget, according to this Guardian article. The author, Mark Leon Goldberg, states that peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most successful forms of conflict resolution. While the US promotes peacekeeping verbally – it neglects to support missions financially or militarily. The article illustrates that the US will be US$610 million in debt to the UN peacekeeping budget this year, and US$2 billion in permanent arrears to the UN as a whole.Chad: Between Sudan’s Blitzkrieg and Darfur’s War (February 19, 2008)
In this article, Gérard Prunier dissects the inter-connected conflicts in Chad and Darfur. Prunier argues that both rebel groups and government officials have a vested interest in protracting the conflict and destabilizing the region, motivated by control of the oil and land resources that permeate the area. It is within this context that France presses for a multilateral force for Chad at the Security Council – to protect its own interests in the region, and support its preferred Chadian ruler – Idriss Deby. (openDemocracy)Security Council Resolution 1801 on Somalia (February 20, 2008)
The Security Council has renewed for six months a mandate for the African Union led AMISOM peacekeeping mission in Somalia. The Resolution was passed despite an obvious lack of support in Africa, with only Uganda and Burundi providing troops to the mission. The mandate authorizes the use of force by the peacekeepers to protect infrastructure, and provide security to enable humanitarian assistance in the country.Empire?
Iran Looks East (February 21, 2005)
Iran and China are ideal “marriage” partners, suggests this Fortune article. By signing a US$70 billion gas deal, Iran has gained coveted foreign currency whilst solving China’s energy needs. This strategic relationship has more than money at stake; it heralds political realignment. As a P5 member, China is able to insulate Iran from a US attack and reduce the impact of US imposed sanctions through access to Chinese markets. Therefore, the US must find alternative methods to pressure Iran.The Real Story behind Kosovo’s Independence (February 23, 2008)
The US supports the contentious independence of Kosovo, yet condemned an attack on the US embassy in Belgrade by angered Serbs, calling it a violation of US territory. The US paid no such heed to state sovereignty when it bombed the Chinese embassy in 1999, nor while advocating for the secession of Kosovo. The author, Jeremy Scahill, argues that US military interests on Balkan soil motivate this stance, and that Washington invokes international law only when it suits the agenda. As Scahill puts it, “empire is bipartisan.” (AlterNet)Social and Economic Policy
Norway's 'Doomsday Vault' Holding Seeds of Survival in Case of Disaster Is Buried in Arctic (February 25, 2008)
This article reports on the opening of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The Arctic vault will serve as a back up for existing seed banks and contains over 10 million specimens from “virtually every country” in the world. The Global Crop Diversity Trust, which oversaw the creation of the vault, states that it will preserve biodiversity in the face of climate change, war and natural disasters. (Daily Mail)Wild Green Yonder? A 747 Fuelled Partly By Coconuts (February 24, 2008)
By converting food crops into biofuels, producers contribute to deforestation and drive up food prices. Environmentalists generally oppose biofuels and some policy makers attempt to at least limit and monitor biofuel production. But the private sector seems to throw all caution to the wind in their search for alternative sources of fuel. Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic proudly presented the first biofuel flight by a 747 jumbo jet from London to Amsterdam. (Globe and Mail)Monsanto U: Agribusinesses Takeover of Public Schools (February 15, 2008)
This Alternet article reports that the Bush administration is cutting funding for agricultural research at public universities. Universities must now rely on rich agribusiness conglomerates for research funding. While public institutions do the research, the private sector asks the questions, and influences the answers researchers give them. The author fears agricultural research will thus cater to the wishes of the private sector, resulting in “chemical-dependent, genetically modified, bio-engineered agriculture.”Feed the World? We Are Fighting a Losing Battle, UN Admits (February 26, 2008)
Global food prices have surged upwards, creating a “new face of hunger” in 2008. The World Food Programme (WFP) will not have enough funds to meet existing needs, let alone meet new demands arising because of the price hike. Joachim von Braun, head of the International Food Policy Research Institute points to rising incomes as the main cause of the food crisis. WFP officials identify two further causes of the crisis: climate change and the use of agricultural produce for biofuels instead of food. (Guardian)Crop Prospects and Food Situation (February 2008)
The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) predicts that even though global cereal production will increase in 2008, prices will remain at record high levels. Production is not growing fast enough to match the strong demand so countries’ cereal stocks will keep falling. Most of the production increase will take place in the US, EU, China and India. The majority of poor countries will experience a decline in production, making them even more dependent on imports and vulnerable to higher grain prices.NGOs
The Impact of Regional and International Blocks on the Role of Civil Society Organizations (December 14, 2004)
Non governmental organizations fill a vacuum and provide social goods when the government fails to do so, claims this Arab NGO Network for Development paper. NGOs also give local groups, like small firms and farmers, a voice in the policy making process. Yet, as governments in the Arab world make alliances, like the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, to tackle the challenges of opening their economies to international markets, they are consulting NGOs less frequently. This blocks NGO access to the policy agenda.Nations and States
State Building and the EU’s Supra-National Momentum (February 8, 2008)
The author argues that supranationality, “the core project of the EU,” is in danger as more and more small ethnic and regional entities seek independence. Several prosperous regions in Europe, such as Catalonia in Spain, are frustrated by poorer countries getting a seat at the EU table. They argue that they have more valid claim to independence due to their relative prosperity. The article suggests that the EU should rethink the distribution of power between regional, national and EU levels. (European Council on Foreign Relations)Iraq: An Example of a Collapsed State (February 21, 2008)
In this article, the author argues that the “misdirected policies” of the US have turned Iraq into a collapsed state. He emphasizes that a “collapsed” state differs from a “failed” state in that its coercive powers are decentralized into the hands of different ethnic and religious groups which triggers power struggles and civil war. In addition, a collapsed state is an easy target for occupation by an “imperialist state.” (Zaman)UN Reform
Member States Resume Talks on the Future of the System-Wide Coherence Process (February 12, 2008)
During a General Assembly meeting on “System-Wide Coherence,” UN members reviewed efforts to improve coordination between the different UN development agencies. Several governments argued that the UN’s work on gender equality is insufficient and fragmented and needs more financial investment. Rich and poor countries disagreed on future funding for the system-wide coherence process. The European Union and other large donor countries favored funding that would encourage “efficiency on the ground.” The G77, on the other hand, adopted a more “holistic” approach that would increase funding of national programs and pay more attention to “sustainable development.” (Center for UN Reform Education)International Justice
The Uganda-LRA War Crimes Agreement and the International Criminal Court (February 25, 2008)
This article analyzes the agreement on war crimes trials reached between the Ugandan government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Although the Rome Statute prescribes that only the International Criminal Court (ICC) can decide to drop a case, the government and the LRA have agreed to try war criminals domestically and feel ICC involvement is no longer necessary. The author hopes that continuing ICC pressure will ensure that the Ugandan judiciary will measure up to international standards. (Crimes of War Project)
