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Matthew Cordell

Displacement in the 21st Century

gueterro.jpg By Antonio Guterres, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Today, on World Refugee Day, I am joining southern Sudanese refugees as they return home from Uganda to begin rebuilding their lives after decades of conflict. Although largely unreported, with help from the UN, refugees are starting to return to southern Sudan from refugee camps in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic. Others are returning from exile in Libya and Egypt, as well as from other parts of Sudan itself.

Congressman Payne on Malaria and Peacekeeping

payne.jpg UN Dispatch recently sat down with Congressman Donald Payne, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health on the Committee for Foreign Affairs, to discuss malaria, the priorities of the Subcommittee, and UN peacekeeping. The transcript follows.

UN Dispatch: As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, why have you chosen to focus on malaria?

On Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on International Organizations held a hearing (video) on UN peacekeeping forces acting as a force multiplier for the U.S. with testimony from Tim Wirth, President of the UN Foundation; James Dobbins, Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND and a former Assistant Secretary of State; Joseph Christoff, Director of International Affairs and Trade at the GAO; and Steven Groves, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation. All in all, the hearing was positive for those who support the work of UN peacekeeping and believe that, because the UN is vital to U.S. national security, the U.S. should pay its full arrears. Chairman Bill Delahunt led off the hearing with the assertion that UN peacekeeping forces are a force multiplier and offer the U.S. "more bang for the buck," pointing to the oft-quoted GAO report that he and Congressman Rohrabacher requested last year. (Christoff testified about this report in depth.) He also mentioned that the "U.S. military is stretched to its breaking point" and that the UN could go where the U.S. might not be welcome, but where it has national security interests. He offered the UN force in Lebanon as an example, postulating that a U.S. force in the same position would engage in combat almost daily and suffer terrorist attacks. He finished by saying that this is not merely an academic argument. The U.S. is voting for all of these missions in the Security Council, but not fully paying for them, even as the international community is preparing to create the largest and most complex peacekeeping mission in history (the impending mission to Darfur).

House Subcommittee Takes on Peacekeeping Arrears

On Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on International Organizations held a hearing (video) on UN peacekeeping forces acting as a force multiplier for the U.S. with testimony from Tim Wirth, President of the UN Foundation; James Dobbins, Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND and a former Assistant Secretary of State; Joseph Christoff, Director of International Affairs and Trade at the GAO; and Steven Groves, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation. All in all, the hearing was positive for those who support the work of UN peacekeeping and believe that, because the UN is vital to U.S. national security, the U.S. should pay its full arrears. Chairman Bill Delahunt led off the hearing with the assertion that UN peacekeeping forces are a force multiplier and offer the U.S. "more bang for the buck," pointing to the oft-quoted GAO report that he and Congressman Rohrabacher requested last year. (Christoff testified about this report in depth.) He also mentioned that the "U.S. military is stretched to its breaking point" and that the UN could go where the U.S. might not be welcome, but where it has national security interests. He offered the UN force in Lebanon as an example, postulating that a U.S. force in the same position would engage in combat almost daily and suffer terrorist attacks. He finished by saying that this is not merely an academic argument. The U.S. is voting for all of these missions in the Security Council, but not fully paying for them, even as the international community is preparing to create the largest and most complex peacekeeping mission in history (the impending mission to Darfur).

“Smart” Security

by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif. 6) lynnpic.jpg After criticizing past Presidents' foreign policy efforts as nothing more than "nation building" during his first campaign, President Bush promised the world a new American foreign policy once elected. Seven years later, we have seen the results of his approach - of his insistence on preemptive military strikes instead of diplomacy, of brash unilateral arrogance as opposed to respect for the international organizations. I am certainly not alone in recognizing the foreign policy of this Administration as nothing but a total and abject failure.

UN Talk Radio Day: Al Sharpton and Alan Colmes

Al Sharpton and Alan Colmes just signed off. Gordon Deal from Wall Street Journal Radio is interviewing Jehane Lavandero the Spokeswoman from UNICEF; Jack Rice is talking to Gillian Sorenson, UN Foundation Senior Advisor and National Advocate; Rusty Humphries is taking calls from listeners; Marc Bernier is talking with Michael Harris, publisher of Talkers, and Paige Medley from Student Service Talk Radio is interviewing UN Foundation Communications officer Amy DiElsi in the back. A little earlier in the afternoon, Alan Colmes talked to Steve Kraus, chief of the HIV/AIDS branch of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). Colmes was particularly struck by a fact that Kraus mentioned halfway through the interview--180 of the 192 nations in the world fund UNFPA, and the United States is one of the 12 that don't. The U.S. played a key role in the creation of the agency, but, in 2001, support for funding dried up in the U.S. Administration said Kraus, although UNFPA still has many Congressional supporters. Kraus went on to say "if you want to deal with HIV/AIDS you have to talk about sex. Some leaders are uncomfortable talking about it." At the same time, German Perm Rep Thomas Matussek was talking to Al Sharpton about global warming. He also discussed the Security Council's session on climate change in April and the need for all UN agencies to interact on this important issue. Ambassador Matussek later sat down with Colmes, who was interested in Security Council reform. Matussek said that the current setup excludes three-fifths of humankind--Africa, India, and South America. He also went on a riff about global interconnectedness. "In the 21st century, what does sovereignty mean? If [Federal Reserve Chief Ben] Bernanke raises the interest rate, we feel it in Europe." Colmes also had time to sit down with Noeleen Heyzer executive director of UNIFEM, who mentioned the role of her agency in preventing conflict and the importance of gender equality in creating and strengthening democracy. With regard to the U.S., Heyzer said that, while the American government has been supportive of UNIFEM in the past, she'd like to see the U.S. support women's rights in a more obvious way especially by signing the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination (CEDAW) treaty.

UN Talk Radio Day: UK Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Perry

perry.jpg UK Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Perry, a distinguished senior diplomat, just sat down with Alan and Kerri, and people noticed. There was a blog (UN Dispatch) covering a TV station (CNN) and a radio station (UN Radio) that were in turn covering a live radio show. Alan immediately pressed Ambassador Perry on Iran. Ambassador Perry suggested that progress was slow, but that it is a difficult situation and "that there is no other option but global pressure." He continued, "We have a carefully thought out strategy. We will maintain that strategy, and, if Iran doesn't respond within the next couple weeks, we might respond with more sanctions." Alan then asked him about Darfur,asking why the UN isn't involved. He responded by saying that the UN is involved in the Sudan, maintaining the north-south peace agreement and a huge humanitarian mission that has saved countless lives. "With all due respect, people are dying," Alan said. Ambassador Perry again stressed that the UN had done quite a bit, "ending a 35-year civil war." "The Sudan is much better today than it was 10 years ago," Ambassador Perry said. He continued, "Don't underestimate how difficult the situation is. If we had a wand we would have waved it a long time ago. We cannot invade Sudan." Alan then turned to Syria's being elected the UN Disarmament Commission's rapporteur. Ambassador Perry answered that "in a democratic organization this will happen. It was the wish of the majority and we have to accept it." Ambassador Perry then followed the same theme that Ambassador Normandin had earlier, saying, "The advantage of the UN is that it's global. Everyone belongs to it," and we can exert pressure on any other nation through it. He also said that the rapporteur won't single-handedly controlling the work of the Commission. The U.S. and the UK are committed to steering its mission. The Ambassador finished by saying that the "UN does good. The UN does not harm. It doesn't do enough good, but it's absolutely indispensable. Al Sharpton just walked in. Alan Colmes should be here soon.

UN Talk Radio Day: CNN’s Richard Roth

Continuing UN Talk Radio Day coverage... Lionel from Air America and Marc Benier have now started broadcasting. Former Ambassador and UNA-USA President William Luers; Kevin Kennedy, Principal Officer of DPKO's Africa Division; Francis Mead, from UN TV; and Victor Ortega from UNAIDS have run the gauntlet of interviews. CNN's Richard Roth just came in to shoot footage for a possible feature and immediately got into a conversation with Alan and Kerri; Roth videoed and Alan and Kerri broadcast live. Alan suggested that the U.S. should pull out of the UN and that the UN headquarters should be moved to France, which prodded the UN correspondent to ask why. Alan responded by saying that he doesn't want any U.S. troops serving in blue helmets under foreign leadership. Roth then mentioned that no U.S. troops currently serve as UN peacekeepers. Alan then also said that he had issues with the UN's efforts on disarmament. "I want [the U.S.] to be the superpower who has more guns than everyone else," he said. Roth changed the subject, asking whether Alan and Kerri came here with an open mind and whether they learned anything. "We're having a blast. We're trying to educate the people here." Kerri then interjected that her opinion differed from Alan's. "My opinion is that the UN does some good, trying to create a foundation for peace," Kerri said.

UN Talk Radio Day: Ambassador Henri-Paul Normandin

In case you weren't up at 5am and missed it, UN Dispatch has been covering UN Talk Radio Day today (see posts here and here). We've just seen a barrage of guests come in and out of the room (including OCHA Spokesman Stephanie Bunker, Australian Ambassador Robert Hill, and Azza Karam, Culture Advisor at the United Nations Population Fund). Canadian Ambassador Henri-Paul Normandin just finished speaking with Alan and Kerri. Near the end, Kerri brought up the situation in Zimbabwe and asked about the UN's involvement. Ambassador Normandin said that the UN had been involved in Zimbabwe for a while, providing humanitarian assistance and saving lives. In addition, he said that the United Nations also provides a platform for dialogue and that "by bringing people together, we can exert influence on them." Whereas, if we, instead, had an international organization formed from a select group of allies, we wouldn't have that opportunity. The seemingly pop-culture-savvy Ambassador also mentioned the movie Blood Diamond and the fact that former Liberian warlord (who fueled the conflict in Seirra Leone) will soon face trial for war crimes at the Special Court for Sierra Leone.