European Peace Institute / News

Of the eleven countries most affected by terrorism globally, seven currently host UN peace operations. In countries affected by terrorism and violent extremism, peace operations will increasingly be called upon to adapt their approaches without compromising UN doctrine. But to date, there has been little exploration of the broader political and practical challenges, opportunities, and risks facing UN peace operations in complex security environments. This has created a gap between the policy debate in New York and the realities confronting UN staff on the ground.

This policy paper aims to bridge this gap by examining the recent drive to integrate counterterrorism (CT) and preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) into relevant activities of UN peace operations, as well as the associated challenges and opportunities. It seeks to expand the scope of discussions beyond whether peace operations can “do CT” to how they can better support national governments and local communities in preventing terrorism and violent extremism.

Based on extensive conversations with UN officials, member state representatives, and practitioners, the paper offers a number of recommendations. At the level of headquarters, the UN should:

• Improve its capacity to analyze and respond to the factors and grievances leading to radicalization and violence;
• Enhance system-wide dialogue, coherence, and policy guidance; and
• Prioritize objectives and capacities related to CT and P/CVE in mission mandates.

To make field missions more effective, the UN should:

• Preserve and expand the space for dialogue with all parties;
• Enhance capacity for early warning and response;
• Integrate CT and P/CVE into compacts with host governments where relevant;
• Enhance mission engagement with civil society, women, and youth;
• Design integrated strategies to prevent terrorism and violent extremism;
• Promote partnerships between missions, country teams, and NGOs;
• Improve capacity to monitor, evaluate, manage risk, and learn;
• Employ caution in labeling programs as “P/CVE”; and
• Improve training and raise the awareness of mission staff.

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On Tuesday, October 25th at 1:15pm EST, IPI is hosting a discussion on the UN Security Council and military interventions with Hardeep Singh Puri, author of Perilous Interventions: The Security Council and the Politics of Chaos.

IPI Live Event Feed

Perilous Interventions is a timely publication, in which one of India’s most experienced, able, and eloquent diplomats, who presided over the UN Security Council and its Counter-Terrorism Committee, provides an insider’s account. The book takes a clinical and forensic look at the dominant narrative of the Arab Spring and analyzes some of the factors that contributed to the crisis—the use of military force, the arming of rebels, the unraveling of countries, and the resulting desperate migrations. The lively account explores the international community’s actions in Libya, Syria, Yemen, and Ukraine, along with India’s own misadventure in Sri Lanka in the 1980s. It illustrates how the Security Council can inadvertently undermine the very thing it is expected to ensure— international peace and security.

Speaker:
Hardeep Singh Puri, former Permanent Representative of India to the UN, former Secretary-General of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism, and former Vice President of IPI

Moderator:
Warren Hoge, Senior Adviser for External Relations, IPI

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On October 11-12th, IPI held an event in Reykjavik to discuss the legacy of the historic meeting between the President of the United States Ronald Reagan and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev of exactly thirty years earlier, and to see if and how the “spirit of Reykjavik” could inspire leaders of today to return to negotiations on arms control, reduce tensions between Russia and the West, and reignite the hope of nuclear weapons-free world.

The meeting took place in Höfdi House in the Icelandic capital where Mr. Gorbachev and Mr. Reagan had met for two days of intense negotiations in October 1986. American and Russian negotiators, who witnessed the event, stressed how “Reykjavik changed everything,” and how it marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. They recalled the statement that the two leaders had agreed to, namely that “nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought; our countries will not seek military superiority.”

Video messages were sent from George Shultz, who was US Secretary of State at the time, as well as Mikhail Gorbachev. In an impassioned statement, Mr. Gorbachev expressed concern and alarm at the current world situation. He warned that, “unless international affairs are put back on a normal track and international relations are demilitarized, the goal we jointly set at Reykjavik will become more distant rather than closer.” (Watch their full statements here.)

In opening remarks, the major of Reykjavik, Dagur Eggertson, and Iceland Foreign Minister Lilja Alfredsdottir recalled the impact of the meeting on their city and country, and the inspiration that it still holds today. Terje Rød-Larsen, President of IPI, praised the work that Iceland did at that time—with only ten days to prepare—to “make the impossible possible.” He also observed that the choice of location was instrumental for setting a mood that fostered openness and trust.

During a full day of discussions, participants—including current and former diplomats, politicians, arms control experts, academics, and representatives of civil society – recalled the negotiations that went on thirty years ago, and what lessons could be learned for today. Among the points raised was the importance of leadership, treating one’s adversary with decency and respect, and the need for trust. The need for dialogue, even—or especially—in difficult times was emphasized. Concerning the specifics of mediation, several participants underlined the importance of a suitable negotiating environment (like Höfdi House), as well as the combination of both high- and expert-level discussions.

In addition to looking at the past, the event focused on security and cooperation today, particularly relations between Russia and the West. Suggestions were made on how to de-escalate tensions, de-militarize relations, and return to diplomacy. There was also a focused discussion on conventional and nuclear arms control. Several participants warned that the unpredictable and unstructured relationship between nuclear powers created the most dangerous situation since the Cuban Missile Crisis. They suggested that although the time may not be ripe for high-level negotiations, preparations should be made so that ideas can be put forward when there is sufficient political will.

Over lunch, the participants were given a presentation on Iceland’s geo-strategic position between NATO and Russia by President Gudni Th. Johannesson.

Looking ahead, speakers warned of the increased complexity of nuclear issues because of a growing number of states that possess nuclear weapons, as well as malign non-state actors trying to acquire them. The danger of cyber threats to nuclear security was also raised. Participants underlined the need for greater education on arms control, as well as more active engagement of youth in initiatives designed to build trust and confidence.

While the situation today was characterized as unstable, bright spots were highlighted including cooperation among the great powers in the Iran nuclear talks. Participants were encouraged by former Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson to never give up, and to keep alive the “spirit of Reykjavik” and the dream of a nuclear weapon-free world. “The Reykjavik summit of 1986 shows that we can change the world,” said Mr. Grimsson.

Related Coverage:
“Time to return to the Spirit of Reykjavik (1986)” Remarks by Ambassador Sergey Batsanov, October 13, 2016
“The Legacy of the Reykjavik Summit – The Road Ahead” (InDepthNews, October 13, 2016)
“Gorbachev calls for peace: Is there a path forward?” (Christian Science Monitor, October 12, 2016)
“Acting Under Secretary Tom Countryman Travels to Reykjavik, Iceland” Media Note (US Department of State, October 11, 2016)

In Russian:
Pozner Online, October 17, 2016
Gazeta, October 11, 2016
TASS Russian News Agency, October 10, 2016
Interfax, October 10, 2016
Lenta, October 10, 2016

At an IPI seminar in Reykjavik, Iceland yesterday, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said via video, “I would like to emphasize something, with all the emotions I have in my soul: the worst thing that has happened over the past few years is the collapse of trust in relations between the major powers, which, according to the UN Charter, bear primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, and which still have enormous stockpiles of nuclear weapons and must reduce them, up to and including their elimination.”

“Nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,” Mr. Gorbachev said. “I think it sounds even stronger today than at that time.”

With today’s US-Russian relations at a new low, can his meeting with Ronald Reagan at the Reykjavik summit 30 years ago—which history views as the beginning of the end of the cold war—serve as an inspiration for arms control and reducing tensions today?

This question is the topic of the IPI seminar, “The Legacy of the Reykjavik Summit,” organized with the Foreign Ministry of Iceland, taking place October 10-11, 2016.

Mr. Gorbachev’s full remarks, below.

George Shultz, who was US Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan, also gave opening remarks.

On October 11-12, 1986, the President of the United States of America Ronald Reagan, and the General Secretary of the Communist Partyof the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, met in the capital of Iceland, Reykjavík, to discuss a radical plan: redirection of nuclear-armed missiles and a move towards a nuclear free world. The meeting was a breakthrough in relations between the USSR and the United States, and is widely considered as the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

Thirty years later, tensions between Russia and the West are at their highest since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Instability in other parts of the world, like the Middle East and the South China Sea, is also creating new risks, and leading to a new arms race.

Can the anniversary of that historic meeting at the Höfði House in Reykjavík thirty years ago provide an inspiration to de-escalate tensions between NATO and Russia? Can it help to promote non-proliferation, and reignite the hope of a nuclear free world?  Participants at this meeting include former and current diplomats, arms control experts, historians, and representatives of civil society.

See full meeting agenda

On Thursday, October 13th at 1:15pm EST, IPI together with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum are cohosting a panel discussion on the continuing challenge of preventing mass atrocities in an era of global transition.

The next secretary-general of the United Nations will take office at a time when mass killings of civilians are increasing. Global patterns of mass atrocities are also changing, as non-state actors like the self-proclaimed Islamic State and Boko Haram perpetrate large-scale violence against civilians. It is essential that the new secretary-general create a clear agenda for preventing and responding to such atrocities that can gain the support of both the UN system and its member states.

The event will provide a forum to discuss these new trends and the evolving challenge of preventive action.

Speakers will focus on new trends in mass atrocities worldwide, recent developments in global policy efforts to prevent them, and the challenge ahead for new leaders in the United States, at the United Nations, and elsewhere. The following key questions will be addressed:

• How have mass atrocities evolved since the end of the Cold War?
• What are the key challenges that face global policymakers who seek to prevent mass atrocities?
• How can the United Nations work with the United States and other actors to reinforce policy efforts to prevent and respond to mass atrocities?

Speakers:
Jeanne d’Arc Byaje, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Rwanda to the United Nations
Naomi Kikoler, Deputy Director, Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Scott Straus, Professor of Political Science and International Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Moderator:
Adam Lupel, Vice President, International Peace Institute

On Wednesday, October 5th at 1:15pm EST, IPI is hosting a policy forum to discuss the book, South Sudan: The Untold Story from Independence to Civil War, written by Ms. Hilde F. Johnson, former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to South Sudan.

IPI Live Event Feed

In July 2011, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan and became the world’s newest country. Yet just years after this momentous decision, the country was experiencing renewed civil war and political strife. Through her work with the UN, Hilde F. Johnson was witness to the many challenges South Sudan faced as it struggled to adjust to its newfound independence.

In the book, South Sudan: The Untold Story from Independence to Civil War, she provides an insider’s account of South Sudan, from the independence celebrations of July 2011 to the outbreak of the conflict in December 2013. Her access to contacts at the highest levels of government, accompanied by her deep knowledge of the country and its history, make this a unique eyewitness account of the turbulent first three years of the world’s newest – and yet most fragile – country.

Opening remarks:
Mr. Warren Hoge, Senior Adviser for External Relations, International Peace Institute

Speaker:
Ms. Hilde F. Johnson, author of South Sudan: The Untold Story from Independence to Civil War; former Special Representative of the Secretary-General to South Sudan; and former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF

Discussants:
H.E. Mr. Fodé Seck, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Senegal to the United Nations (TBC)
Mr. Ian Martin, Executive Director, Security Council Report

Moderator:
Ms. Sarah Cliffe, Director of New York University’s Center on International Cooperation

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On September 29th, IPI organized a panel discussion on “Desperate Migration and Health” at the European Health Forum in Gastein, Austria. The panel was designed to highlight the health needs of people on the move, and identify remedial action to reduce vulnerability.

Jessica Reinisch, Director for the Centre for the Study of Internationalism at the University of London, provided an historical overview of the relationship between migration and health. She recalled that a campaign to control cholera in the mid-nineteenth century was one of the first reluctant attempts at internationalism. She reminded the audience how, after the first and second world wars, refugees were viewed as a threat—not only for the spread of disease, but also for the “political contamination” of ideologies. She noted that the narrative of “double contagion” is evident among sections of the media and politicians today.

Davide Mosca, Director of the Migration Health Division at the International Organization for Migration, highlighted the vulnerability of people on the move. He pointed out that the legal regime covering the estimated 245 million migrants is weak. Furthermore, he observed that while everyone has the right to health there is not universal health coverage: many migrants therefore fall through the cracks. He therefore called for more concerted action, including in the context of the Global Compact on Migration, to address the health needs of migrants.

Julie Lyn Hall, Director of Health and Care at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, outlined six groups of people whose health is affected by migration. Three are visible: those on the move; those who settle; and those who are stuck in transition. She described three other less visible groups: those who return; host communities; and people who are left behind in areas of high migration. She stressed the need for “future proofing” the health needs of migrants through long-term strategic planning in order to manage the situation more effectively.

Miriam Rabkin of the Columbia University Medical Center highlighted the gap between health needs and health services for migrants. She stressed the need for continuity of care for migrants with chronic diseases. She noted that the main burden for dealing with the health needs of migrants and refugees is falling on lower-income countries. General support for their healthcare systems would therefore benefit the populations of those countries as well as displaced people. Rabkin stressed that in the future, discussions on the health needs of migrants should involve migrants.

Bernd Rechel of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies presented data that showed little increase in the number of migrants coming to Europe over the past five years. He also debunked the myth that migrants are heading to countries that have the most generous healthcare systems. He stressed the need for more data to ensure evidence-based policies, more evaluation of good practices, and greater access of migrants to health care. He warned that marginalizing migrants will increase the risks and costs of healthcare, both to the affected groups and to the rest of society.

Several speakers stressed the need to address the psycho-social needs of people on the move, as well as volunteers and health workers helping refugees and migrants.

The panel and public concluded that greater focus is needed on the health needs of migrants. It was suggested that an inter-disciplinary group – involving medical experts, civil society, migrants, and relevant inter-governmental organizations – should be formed in order to provide recommendations on the issue, for example in support of the Global Compact on Migration.

On Tuesday, September 27th, IPI together with the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations, cohosted a policy forum event to share and discuss the conclusions and recommendations of a regional conversation on “Investing in Peace and the Prevention of Violence in West Africa and the Sahel” held in Dakar, Senegal on June 27-28, 2016.

Click here to view the event video on Ustream>>

The Dakar seminar addressed the nature of violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel-Sahara sub-regions—as perceived by those affected by it. It examined approaches to the phenomenon that promoted a shift from simply addressing the factors that drive and sustain violence to strengthening those associated with peaceful and resilient societies—including social, economic, and political inclusion, as well as improved state-society relations. Participants discussed the policy implications of such a shift, and made a number of recommendations on how best to invest in peace in order to prevent violence and its various manifestations. They also examined how the UN and its partners can best support national governments and local communities in this endeavor, including by developing a shared regional perspective on the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism (A/70/674).

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Mr. Olivier Zehnder, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations
H.E. Mr. Fodé Seck, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Senegal to the United Nations

Speakers:
Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)
Ambassador Jean-Daniel Bieler, Special Adviser for Central Africa, Human Security Division, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland
Ms. Djeinaba Touré, Je M’Engage, Mauritania
Mr. Aslam Souli, Vice President, National Youth Initiative against Terrorism, Tunisia
Mr. Ahmed Labnouj, Interpeace, Libya

Moderator:
Dr. Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute (IPI)

West Africa and the Sahel-Sahara region are faced with peace and security challenges that weaken states and affect state-citizen relations. The emergence and proliferation of violent extremist groups aggravate the climate of fear and insecurity, and the actions of these groups affect peace efforts, sustainable development, and human rights. Over the past decade, efforts to address violent extremism have consisted primarily of a series of security measures largely inspired by strategies used to fight terrorism, which have been inadequate and at times fuel violent extremism. This experience has led international organizations and states to adopt more preventive approaches, such as those detailed in the UN secretary-general’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism.

In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs co-organized a regional seminar in Dakar, Senegal, on June 27 and 28, 2016. This meeting brought together sixty participants from fourteen countries, including political leaders, members of civil society, and religious and traditional authorities, as well as representatives of the media, the private sector, governments, and regional and international organizations, to explore alternative measures to address the violent extremism affecting the region.

Participants agreed on a number of recommendations with regards to how the UN and its partners could more effectively prevent violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel-Sahara subregions, in support of national governments and local authorities and communities and with the active participation of citizens. These recommendations include the need to focus on political participation, improved state-citizen relations, and inclusive dialogue as the primary mechanisms for prevention. They also agreed on the importance of local and regional preventive initiatives, and the need for institutional initiatives to prevent violent extremism to build on existing ones at the regional level, while recognizing the central role and responsibility of states in prevention.

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Kristalina Georgieva, the Vice President of the European Commission, told an IPI Global Leader Series audience that while the world had been unprepared for the rapidity of modern change, she believed human and institutional versatility could meet the challenge of catching up.

“I would argue that we can be reasonably positive because humans are incredibly adaptive and creative, and we can find solutions,” she said. But she warned that “we are underestimating the significance of this speed of change and complexity.”

She spoke of the dangers posed by technological changes that were bringing advances but also spreading inequality at a time when the global population of needy was growing exponentially, enabling the emergence of a resort to terror by the young and idle.

“I lose sleep over this phenomenon,” she said, “the combination of jobless technology and demographic explosion.”

At one point in her September 22nd appearance, she broke from the subject of her talk to comment on rumors that she might be nominated by a country other than her own to be a candidate to be the next secretary-general. The question has arisen because there already is an official Bulgarian candidate, Irina Bokova, the director-general of UNESCO, who has not placed as high as expected in the four straw polls of the Security Council conducted thusfar.

“I am not seeking or willing to be nominated by another country,” Ms. Georgieva said. “This is my country, I love it. There is no way I will do anything that puts me at odds with being a Bulgarian.” She paused and then added, “We have given birth to more than one qualified candidate so what’s wrong with that?”

On the subject of change, she noted that “the combination of science, connectivity and the ability to mobilize civil society brings things that are incredibly good, like the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.”

But, she said, “the risk this enormous change brings is the multiplicity of shocks. Shocks come from economic crises that cross boundaries very quickly, natural disasters, and unfortunately one of the most significant drivers of shocks are conflicts tearing apart the lives of millions of people.”

She said that a new and increasingly dangerous phenomenon in the twenty- first century was the ominous presence of non-state actors who “have no interest in becoming recognized governments” and living by recognized standards. “They just want to wreak havoc and destroy livelihoods of people around us, and scare us,” she argued. “When you take this one step further with violence and terrorism, that picture of a pretty world with new technology gets a little murkier.”

She listed four primary needs:

• Foresight
• Agility and adaptability
• Efficiency and managerial excellence
• Political will for change, political will for action

Speaking from her own experience in humanitarian and development work both at the European Commission and at the World Bank, she spoke of the need for structural change to keep pace with change. “That, of course, means bringing down the silos between institutions,” she said, “bringing down the barriers between humanitarian first responders and development to work together.”

“This, of course, also has to be done in the direction of peacebuilding, security, human rights so we have a horizontal build that allows us to make the best out of the resources we have and be more agile when we use them.”

So how do you solve the world’s governance problems?, she asked in closing.

“There are two ways: one is realistic, one is fantastic,” she said.

“The realistic one is extraterrestrials come from space, take over our institutions and fix them. And the fantastic way is that people do it themselves.”

Introducing Ms. Georgieva and moderating the meeting was IPI President Terje Rød- Larsen, IPI’s President.

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Forty foreign ministers and high-level officials, as well as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous, gathered at IPI on September 21, 2016 to review the progress made in implementing of the recommendations outlined in the report of the High-Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (HIPPO). They also discussed key future actions by the next UN secretary-general.

The working dinner, entitled “Taking Stock, Looking to the Future: A High-Level Dialogue on United Nations Peace Operations,” was hosted jointly by IPI President Terje Rød-Larsen and the foreign ministers of Finland, Indonesia, Rwanda, and Uruguay. For the fourth-year anniversary of this event, IPI’s Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations prepared an infographic highlighting the status of implementation of the HIPPO, as well as recommendations for the next secretary-general and member states, moving forward.

Other attendees included the Foreign Ministers of Argentina, Ethiopia, Central African Republic, Mongolia, Niger, Liberia, Netherlands, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, as well as high-level representatives from capitals of Angola, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States. The conversation was conducted under the Chatham House rule of non-attribution.

Member state representatives highlighted progress made in the implementation of the HIPPO, notably on the side of peacekeeping capabilities and troop pledges. They, however, recognized the need to improve the performance and preparedness of troops. While acknowledging the creation of a planning and analysis cell in the executive office of the secretary-general, participants called for better integrated and strategic analysis and planning, starting from the top of the organization. They also emphasized the need for political strategies to guide and accompany a full spectrum of truly integrated peace operations, whether carried out by the UN or in partnership with regional organizations, that can make a difference on the ground and better respond to new challenges of the 21st century, including that of asymmetric violence and terrorism.

Participants stressed shifting away from reaction and developing better, and more, prevention and mediation efforts and mechanisms. Also key, they said, was assessing root causes of conflict, as well as taking into consideration social, development and human rights aspects. They underlined that the new commitment to sustaining peace could further help in breaking the silos between the three pillars of the UN, bring more coherence to activities in the field and ensure people-centric operations. Participants, however, lamented that there had been little progress overall on women’s representation, especially in leadership positions.

The dinner concluded by acknowledging the importance of the shared responsibility of member states and the secretariat to support the implementation of the recommendations of the HIPPO, and on the need for all to keep the momentum and encourage the next secretary-general to focus on concrete actions and show leadership in addressing those outstanding challenges.

A co-chair’s summary will follow.

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On Sunday, September 18, IPI held its Eleventh Ministerial Dinner on the Middle East in its Trygve Lie Center for Peace, Security, and Development. The working dinner drew the participation of foreign ministers, United Nations officials, special representatives of the Secretary- General to countries in the region, heads of humanitarian agencies and other high level representatives from the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and beyond.

The working dinner was chaired by Terje Rød-Larsen, President of IPI, and co-hosted by the United Arab Emirates and Luxembourg, represented respectively by Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Christian Braun, Luxembourg’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

In the roundtable conversation, conducted under the Chatham House rule of non-attribution, participants exchanged views on the changing political landscape in the Arab world, including Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, and the flow of refugees and migrants to Europe.

Attendees included the foreign ministers of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lichtenstein, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, and Turkey.

Also present were Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States; Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies; Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council; Jeffrey Feltman, UN Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs; Jean-Marie Guéhenno, President and CEO of the International Crisis Group; Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe; Iyad bin Amin Madani, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation; Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross; Federica Mogherini, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; David Miliband, President of the International Rescue Committee; Kevin Rudd, chair of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism; Ghassan Salamé, Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs, and Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Monday, September 19, 1:15pm EST
Transforming Humanitarian Action
Speakers will focus on the implementation of the “Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action,” as well as discuss the need to work for and with young people during all stages of humanitarian crises, in order to sufficiently respond to their needs.  Read more>>

Wednesday, September 21, 1:15pm EST
Pulling Together: The Multilateral System and Its Future
The Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) final report builds on the multilateral achievements of 2015—including the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement—and takes into account the three UN peace and security reviews conducted in 2015 and the subsequent outcomes. Read more>>

Thursday, September 22, 8:15am EST
The UN70 Initiative: Launching a New Agenda for the Next Secretary-General
At this year’s Trygve Lie Symposium, government officials, including Foreign Ministers from the UN70 partner countries, will be discussing the priorities of the next UN Secretary-General, and how member states can best support her or him. Read more>>

Friday, September 23, 8:15am EST
The Road to Peace: Why the SDGs are Good for Business
This event examines how the private sector, the UN, and governments can work together to create viable economic opportunities that contribute to inclusive growth and build peaceful and inclusive societies. Read more>>

On Friday, September 23rd at 8:15am EST, IPI together with the SDG Fund are organizing a breakfast forum on business and peace in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The event will offer different perspectives on how the private sector is actively engaging in the implementation of the SDGs, connecting the dots between the work of the UN and global leaders in the private sector. It will also offer insights on how the UN can engage the private sector more systematically to implement the 2030 Agenda.

IPI Live Event Feed

Businesses play an important role in advancing the SDGs and in promoting peace and preventing conflict. They can create new job opportunities and adopt hiring practices that ensure no discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender or religion. They can also support training and apprenticeship schemes to demobilize active combatants of armed forces, and support consumer awareness by including “conflict-free labels” in their products. These are just some examples of the links between business, the SDGs and the promotion of peace. This event will highlight the connection between all the goals and targets, particularly goal 16 (peaceful societies), goal 8 (economic growth and employment) and goal 17 (global partnership).

The breakfast meeting will focus on the following questions: Why are the SDGs good for business? How can the UN engage more systematically with global leaders in the private sector to advance the 2030 Agenda? How can the private sector, the UN, and governments work together to create viable economic opportunities that contribute to inclusive growth and build peaceful and inclusive societies?

Moderator:
Ambassador Terje Rod-Larsen, President of IPI

Panelists:
H.E. Ms. María Ángela Holguín, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia (tbc)
H.E. Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment for the United Arab Emirates
Dr. David Nabarro, Special Adviser for the 2030 Agenda and Climate Change
Mr. Tonye Cole, CEO and Founder Sahara Group
Ms. Paloma Durán, Director Sustainable Development Goals Fund

Entitled “Pulling Together: The Multilateral System and Its Future,” this is the final report of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM), an ambitious two-year project conducted by IPI. The report identifies how the UN-based multilateral system can be made more “fit for purpose” for twenty-first century challenges. It comes as a new secretary-general prepares to take office and the wider public contemplates how to sustain our fragile global order in the face of the great and turbulent changes confronting it.

The ICM was launched in September 2014, with former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as its chair and longtime Indian diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri as its secretary-general. In a highly consultative process, the ICM has involved more than 340 diplomats, UN officials, and civil society actors in retreats and meetings, and tens of thousands of people in person and online via public consultations.

The ICM’s final report suggests ten general principles to guide a revitalized multilateral system. It also makes concrete recommendations about how to address the specific challenges of our time across fifteen issue areas. This report will be followed by the release of fifteen issue-specific policy papers focused on each of these areas.

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David Bakradze, Georgia’s State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, described his country as “an island of stability in a turbulent region,” to an audience at IPI Vienna, September 13th.

Dennis Sammut, Director of LINKS, provided some historical context to Georgia’s rise. Georgia was the fourth Soviet republic to organize a referendum on independence in the early 1990’s, following Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Since then, “Georgia has risen from the ashes,” he said.

Mr. Bakradze described his country’s relations with neighbors like Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the policy of pragmatic cooperation with Russia. He noted Georgia’s good relations with the European Union, as well as efforts to open up to new markets like China.

He said that Georgia has moved from a process of democratic transformation to one of democratic consolidation. He highlighted reforms like universal health care and improvements in education that have been introduced, as well as freedom of the media and the independence of the judiciary.

There was considerable discussion about Georgia’s aspirations to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO,) as well as its interest in stability in the Black Sea.

The Minister also spoke about the government’s efforts to promote confidence-building measures in relations with the break-away regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Parliamentary elections will be held in Georgia on October 8th. It was noted in the discussion that the elections are expected to be the least polarized in recent Georgian history.

Several participants underlined the potential example that Georgia’s democratization, economic development, and constructive engagement could provide to other countries in the region.

The event was co-organized with LINKS.

On Monday, September 19th at 1:15pm EST, IPI together with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are cohosting a policy forum to launch and discuss the “Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action.”

IPI Live Event Feed

More than thirty humanitarian partners, including governments, NGOs, UN offices, youth led initiatives, and the private sector, signed the historic “Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action” during the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016. The compact represents an unprecedented commitment of key actors to ensuring that the priorities, needs, and rights of young women, young men, girls, and boys affected by disaster, conflict, forced displacement, and other humanitarian crises, are addressed; and that they are informed, consulted, and meaningfully engaged throughout all stages of humanitarian action.

The event will provide a platform to welcome new partners to the Compact. Speakers will focus on the implementation of the Compact, as well as discuss the need to work for and with young people during all stages of humanitarian crises, in order to sufficiently respond to their needs. The following key questions will be addressed:

• How can the Compact for Young People in Humanitarian Action be effectively implemented into the complex humanitarian arena (humanitarian assistance systems and structures)?
• How can we ensure that, in delivering the Compact, institutional barriers are adequately addressed?
• Who are the critical partners in leveraging and widening ownership of the Compact?

Opening remarks:
Terje Rod-Larsen, President of the International Peace Institute (IPI)
Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Speakers:
Elhadj As Sy, Secretary-General, the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC)
Ahmad Alhendawi, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth
Fatoumata Ndiaye, Deputy Executive Director, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
Foni Joyce, Refugee from Sudan
Marián Sedlak, Liaison Officer for Human Rights and Peace, International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations

Moderator:
Els Debuf, Senior Adviser on Humanitarian Affairs at the International Peace Institute (IPI)

On Monday, September 19th at 8:15am EST, IPI together with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are cohosting the ninth annual Trygve Lie Symposium on “The UN70 Initiative: Launching a New Agenda for the Next Secretary-General.”

IPI Live Event Feed

In order for the United Nations to advance the causes of peace, human rights, and development, improvements need to be made. Member states and the next Secretary-General must show leadership in adapting the UN to current global challenges and to increase the UN’s efficiency.

Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Mexico, and Norway have joined forces in the initiative “UN70: A New Agenda,” to address these challenges and have agreed on five key recommendations for the next UN Secretary-General.

At this year’s Trygve Lie Symposium, government officials, including Foreign Ministers from the UN70 partner countries, will be discussing the priorities of the next UN Secretary-General, and how member states can best support her or him.

Panelists
H.E. Mr. Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway
H.E. Ms. Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ghana
H.E. Mr. Nasser Judeh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jordan
H.E. Mr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia
H.E. Ms. Retno Marsudi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia (tbc)
H.E. Ms. Claudia Ruiz Massieu Salinas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico (tbc)
H.E. Ms. María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Colombia (tbc)

Special guests:
Mr William Pace, Executive Director of the World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
Ms Sarah Cliffe, Director of New York University’s Center on International Cooperation

On Wednesday, September 21st at 1:15pm EST, the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM)is hosting the official launch of its Final Report, entitled “Pulling Together: The Multilateral System and Its Future.”

IPI Live Event Feed

The world is undergoing major transformations at unprecedented speed, putting great stress on our institutions of global governance. Multilateral institutions are struggling to adapt to the breadth and pace of change, with the United Nations in particular being tested as never before. As each day brings new social, political, and economic challenges, many are asking: Is the multilateral system still fit for purpose? In September 2014, and in consultation with the UN Secretary-General, the International Peace Institute (IPI) launched the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) to address this question.

With the Honorable Kevin Rudd as its Chair, the ICM decided to address the task at hand through sixteen thematic areas. This resulted in extensive consultation and engagement with Permanent Representatives of UN member states, issue experts and academics, senior representatives of the UN, and other stakeholders. For each thematic area, an issue paper was drafted and discussed at a high-level retreat. Following each retreat, a discussion paper—reflecting the input received from retreat participants—was prepared and discussed at a public consultation (and webcast), encouraging further input from embassies, civil society, the private sector, and other UN stakeholders.

The ICM report, entitled “Pulling Together: The Multilateral System and its Future,” outlines the key conclusions and recommendations from the comprehensive, two-year ICM process. The report builds on the multilateral achievements of 2015—including the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement—and takes into account the three UN peace and security reviews conducted in 2015 and the subsequent outcomes.

Introduction by the Chair of the ICM:
The Hon. Kevin Rudd, 26th Prime Minister of Australia; President of the Asia Society Policy Institute; and Chair of the ICM

Speakers:
H.E. Mr. Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway and Co-Chair of the ICM
H.E. Ms. Hanna Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana and Co-Chair of the ICM (TBC)
H.E. Mr. José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Laureate; former Foreign Affairs Minister, Defense Minister, and Prime Minister and President of Timor Leste; former Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Guinea-Bissau; Chair of the United Nations Secretary General’s High-level Independent Panel on UN Peace Operations; and Co-Chair of the ICM
Dr. Alaa Murabit, Sustainable Development Goals Advocate for the United Nations; UN High-Level Commissioner on Health Employment & Economic Growth; MIT Director’s Fellow; Trustee for International Alert; and Trustee for Keeping Children Safe; and Founder of “The Voice of Libyan Women”

Moderator: 
Ambassador Terje Rød-Larsen, President of the International Peace Institute

The United Nations is now seventy years old, but the world of seventy years ago was a vastly different place than the world of today. This raises the question: Does the UN remain “fit for purpose” to meet the current needs of the international community? And if not, what can be done in practical terms to bring its mission, structure, and resourcing up to date to meet the formidable challenges ahead? It was to address these questions that the International Peace Institute (IPI) launched the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) in 2014, with Kevin Rudd as its chair.

This is the Chair’s Report, in which Kevin Rudd provides his personal views on the world situation and suggestions for how the UN can be adapted to cope with the rapid pace of change. The report reflects the valuable insights Mr. Rudd has gained through his consultations and travels as chair of the ICM, as well as his vast international and domestic political experience. It will be followed by the launch of the full ICM report on September 21st.

The core argument of Mr. Rudd’s report is that the UN matters, and if it fails, falters, or fades away it would fundamentally erode the stability of an already fragile global order. But at the same time, he argues, we tend to take the UN for granted, overlooking the reality that its continued existence is not inevitable. The UN, while not yet broken, is in trouble. The report concludes, however, that the UN is capable of reinventing itself. This requires not one-off reforms but a continual process of reinvention to ensure the institution is responding to the policy challenges of our time.

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