Chemical attacks and other motivations behind Trump’s recent raids
International finger-pointing exacerbates rising tensions. Only a thorough investigation can reveal those responsible for the chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoum.
Tagged UN
Marrakech: Climate conference in grim political weather
The UN’s 22n climate change conference, or COP22 as it is broadly known, ended in Marrakech, Morocco. Trump’s election cast a shadow over its relative successes.
Antonio Guterres: One formality away from the post of the UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres, former socialist Prime Minister of Portugal and until last year head of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has emerged as the broadly accepted choice to replace UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, whose term ends on 31 December 2016. Mr. Guterres has been the frontrunner in all six informal votes held at the 15-member Security Council of the United Nations in New York in the recent months. Before that he had presented his vision for the United Nations to the 193 members of the UN General Assembly and had participated in debates and other events, as did the other declared candidates for the job.
G20 – Between G2 and G200
This year’s summit of the G20 took place from 4 to 5 September in Hangzhou, China. The agenda once again went beyond the classical economic issues of growth, trade and investment, and covered climate change, the 2030 Agenda or Sustainable Development, Brexit and even terrorism and health issues. These summits are gradually turning into sessions of some kind of a Global Economic Security Council, if not of a Global Directorate bringing together the most important established and emerging world powers. Should the G20 remain a stage for those preferring the freedom of ad hoc actions than global multilateral scrutiny, or should it be integrated into the more legitimate UN structures, revitalizing them at the same time?
The perils of moral permissiveness in international affairs
UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, caused a stir a few days ago when he admitted publicly that he had agreed to remove a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia from a list of armies attacking civilians, because the Saudi government and its allies had threatened to stop funding UN humanitarian activities in Palestine and elsewhere.
Tusk addresses UN
Address by President Donald Tusk at the 70th UN General Assembly debate* New York, 29 September 2015 I am here today to reassure you that Europe is as committed to its values and objectives now, as it has ever been: Europe will stay the course, even though it is now confronting challenges unseen and unheard…
UN – EU support Nepal
At the end of their joint visit to earthquake-stricken Nepal, the UN and EU humanitarian affairs chiefs issued the following joint press release: The Emergency Relief Coordinator and EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid conclude their joint visit to Nepal (Kathmandu/Bangkok/Geneva/New York, 2 May 2015) The United Nations Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs and…
Importance of disaster risk reduction underlined by Vanuatu cyclone devastation
Statement delivered by European Commission Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva on 14 March 2015, at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan. It so happened that a major natural disaster was taking place at the same time as the Conference, with the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu devastated by Cyclone…
Mogherini at the UN
This is what she said: Mr President, It is an honour for me to address the Security Council in my first months as High Representative of the European Union. I would like to thank the French presidency of the Council for this opportunity to discuss our partnership. And I would like to thank you, Mr…
The EU Circus performing in Manhattan again
In the second half of September, each and every year, world leaders gather in New York for the annual high-level meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations. It is like the annual town hall meeting of the planet, an opportunity for presidents, kings and prime ministers, to make public statements on the big issues facing their countries and our world as a whole, and to discuss privately possible solutions to the thorniest among those issues.
