Citizens for Global Solutions Blog

Special Envoy to Sudan Speaks to Senate Foreign Relations Committee

nconklin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:15:58 -0600

U.S. special envoy to Sudan Scott Gration spoke before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, July 30. He criticized Sudan's inclusion on the U.S. terrorism blacklist, saying that there was no evidence to back it up and calling it "a political decision." He also said that it prompted economic sanctions that hindered development.

Kenya May Turn to ICC in Addressing Domestic Violence

nconklin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:49:39 -0600

On Thursday, July 30, Kenyan cabinet members decided to keep all options open after discussing whether to form a local tribunal or to allow an international trial for those behind last year's post-election violence.

After incumbent President Mwai Kibaki was re-elected in December 2007, supporters of his opponent, Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement, erupted in violence over the allegedly rigged election. Riots, mass looting, protests, and ethnic violence continued for months, with an estimated 1,500 people killed and more than 300,000 displaced.

Ambassador Rice Addresses House Foreign Affairs Committee on Peacekeeping

dgreenberg — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:41:28 -0600

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on July 29 with Ambassador Rice to address questions on the status of United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world. The ambassador discussed the challenges that still hobble peacekeeping. She spoke of a "gap between supply and demand," implying that there is far more need for peacekeeping operations than there are resources within the U.N.

Responsibility to Protect versus "Humanitarian Imperialism" in the U.N. Debate

nconklin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:52:00 -0600

The United Nations General Assembly's debate on the Responsibility to Protect [R2P], held on July 23, showed conflicting beliefs about the role of nations intervening in cases of genocide, war crimes, and mass atrocities.

U.N. General Assembly Debates Responsibility to Protect

nconklin — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:56:58 -0600

On Thursday, July 23, the United Nations General Assembly gathered to debate the responsibility to protect, or R2P, which states that nations have an obligation to protect citizens from mass atrocities if their own government is unable or unwilling to do so. Although R2P was unanimously supported at the 2005 World Summit and the Security Council affirmed their agreement with R2P in 2006 by signing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1674, it remains a disputed issue.

Obama Signs Disability Rights Convention

along — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:03:13 -0600

On Friday, July 24, 2009, President Obama will sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is the first United Nations Convention that Obama will sign in his Presidency. It is estimated that there are 650 million people in the world with disabilities. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities seeks to improve the standard of living while increasing employment opportunities and community access for all of them. The Convention also provides legal protection for people with disabilities, which many U.N. member states unfortunately do not have.

Pope Calls for U.N. Reform- how and how much?

khiranandani — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:01:33 -0600

This month, Pope Benedict XVI released an encyclical letter, Caritas in Veritate, to bring Catholic social teaching up to date on ethical responsibilities. Among the gamut of issues he covered, he talked about the United Nations and the need for reform within it. Calling on the UN to pursue disarmament, food security and environmental conservation, the Pope expressed the need for a true world authority. He said:

Citizens for Global Solutions and Senator Dodd Host Panel on the International Criminal Court

khiranandani — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:15:07 -0600

On July 17, International Justice Day, Citizens for Global Solutions and Senator Dodd (D-CT) co-sponsored a panel entitled, "A Seven Year Assessment of the International Criminal Court: Accomplishments, Next Steps, and U.S. Priorities." A lstanding room only crowd came in to see the Honorable Patricia Wald, Chair of the American Society of International Law task force on the ICC; Tod Lindberg, author of "Means to an End: U.S.

What's Happening in Kosovo?

khiranandani — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:30:10 -0600

On July 22, the Atlantic Council hosted a roundtable discussion on the U.N. Mission to Kosovo (UNMIK), and the future of the U.N. in the region. A distinguished group of people, representing an array of positions, were present, including UNMIK Chief of Staff, Robert Sorenson; First Counselor from the Embassy of Serbia, Djerdj Matkovic; and Executive Director of the National Albanian American Council, Avni Mustafaj. UNMIK has decreased its footprint in Kosovo by 90%. As U.N. member states have been cutting peacekeeping funds over the years, the mission is further compromised.

Czech Republic Becomes 110th Nation to Ratify the Rome Statute

nconklin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:30:49 -0600

On July 8, 2009, Czech President Václav Klaus ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court [ICC], making the Czech Republic the 110th nation to do so since the Court's establishment in 2002. Although the Czech Republic signed the Rome Statute in April of 1999, it was the only European Union member state that had not ratified and given formal sanction to the treaty.