United Nations

UN Creates Partnership to Push Sustainability Agenda

September 17, 2015

The UN has announced a new initiative, called the Sustainable Energy for All Partnership, that will seek to push the international organization's energy agenda following the adoption of its long-term Sustainable Development Goals.
UN Agent: Sovereign Debt Principles Are Legally Binding

September 16, 2015

The UN Independent Expert on the effects of foreign debt and human rights Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky argues that a recently adopted UN General Assembly resolution attempting to grant "rights" to debtor countries to restructure their obligations represents customary law and general principles of international law and is therefore legally binding.
Activist Calls for Link Between SDGs and UN Climate Deal

September 16, 2015

Human rights activist and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson has called on countries to agree to a strong climate change accord at negotiations in Paris in December in order to avoid "undermining" the UN's proposed Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs"), set to be adopted later this month.
Employees: UN Faces No Accountability for Abuse

September 15, 2015

The Guardian reports that current and former UN employees have criticized the international organization for its negative treatment of whistleblowers, sparking calls for the UN to create an independent "public accountability mechanism" overseen by member countries that would monitor reported abuse.
UNGA Vote Promotes Sovereign Debtor Rights

September 14, 2015

The UN General Assembly ("UNGA") has adopted a set of principles, opposed by countries including the US, the UK, and Germany, recognizing a right of debtor countries to restructure their debts and seeking immunity, except in limited circumstances, for governments from domestic court decisions relating to sovereign debt repayment.
Countries Plan Presentation of "Climate Finance" Proposal

September 09, 2015

According to Christiana Figueres of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, a set of governments will present their plan to redistribute money to developing countries to fund the response to global warming at next month's World Bank and International Monetary Fund meeting in Peru.
UN Watch Links Anti-Semitic Posts to UNRWA

September 02, 2015

The nongovernmental organization UN Watch has called upon the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees ("UNRWA") to remove all staff members associated with posting a number of images on social media celebrating anti-Semitism and violence.
Experts: UN Development Goals Are "Mush"

August 31, 2015

Brett Schaefer and Terry Miller of the Heritage Foundation write that the UN's proposed Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs") are a "mess" of unmeasurable or unachievable commitments that are in some cases tainted by the UN's political agenda.
UN Agent Calls for Global Migrant Resettlement Program

August 27, 2015

Criticizing European countries for failing to open up their borders to increasing numbers of migrants, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants François Crépeau has called on these countries to create, with other developed countries, a "massive resettlement program" for up to two million refugees over the next five years.
Schaefer: WHO Must Shift Focus to Disease Outbreaks

August 27, 2015

Drawing on an independent report criticizing the World Health Organization's ("WHO") response to the recent ebola outbreak in Africa, Brett Schaefer of the Heritage Foundation writes that the WHO must commit more of its budget to its unique mission of dealing with global disease outbreaks, rather than other issues like noncommunicable diseases and substance abuse.