United Nations

UN Agent Criticizes Venezuela Sanctions

August 24, 2017

UN Special Rapporteur Idriss Jazairy has criticized the use of unilateral economic sanctions against the country of Venezuela during its political crisis, saying that such measures violate the "economic, social, and cultural rights" of Venezuelans and require the approval of the UN Security Council.
UN Chief Launches Plan for Internal Reforms

August 24, 2017

George Russell writes that the Trump Administration has so far been successful in spurring UN Secretary-General António Guterres to develop significant reforms of the UN system to address criticisms of inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and irrelevance.
UNESCO Develops Ethical Climate Change Principles

August 24, 2017

An Ad Hoc Expert Group of the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has prepared the preliminary text of a proposed agreement of principles guiding member states and other actors on their ethical responsibilities to implement the global agenda on combating climate change.
Tech Experts Urge UN to Regulate AI Weaponry

August 24, 2017

Several major technology leaders and experts have signed an open letter to the UN urging the organization to limit the development of weapons that employ artificial intelligence (AI), warning the technology could open a “Pandora’s box” of violence and instability.
Activist Criticizes UN over Haiti Cholera Funds

August 24, 2017

Former diplomat Stephen Lewis, who now runs the advocacy group AIDS-Free World, writes that "the UN has betrayed the people of Haiti once again" by failing to deliver on its promise of $400 million in aid to victims and their families to help remedy the ongoing cholera outbreak spread by infected UN peacekeepers in the country in 2010.
UN Rights Observer Critiques EU Sanctions Regime

August 24, 2017

UN Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures Idriss Jazairy has issued a report criticizing EU due process protections in the implementation of unilateral sanctions as "insufficient" and calling for the bloc's institutions to commit to recognizing the "economic, social, and cultural rights" of populations affected by its sanctions regime.
UNGA Refers UK-Mauritius Island Dispute to ICJ

August 24, 2017

AFP-JIJI reports that the UN General Assembly (UNGA) recently adopted a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to give an advisory opinion on the sovereignty of Mauritius over a set of islands on which the UK and US maintain a joint military base, dismissing UK arguments that the ICJ should not rule on what is a bilateral dispute.
China Claims Victory with UN Resolution on "Development Rights"

August 24, 2017

Reuters reports that an editorial in the official paper of China's Communist Party claims victory over a Western "monopoly" on human rights principles - based mainly in civil and political rights and freedom - by citing the recent passage of a UN Human Rights Council resolution declaring that development efforts contribute to the realization of economic and social "human rights."
UN Critics Take Aim at US Racism Accusations

August 23, 2017

Ben Evansky writes that UN watchdogs are criticizing as "disingenuous" a statement from UN rights observers warning that "racism and xenophobia are on the rise in America" in the wake of violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, in light of what they say is the UN's biased approach toward Israel's alleged human rights violations.
US Resists Nontraditional Rights Declarations at UNHRC

August 23, 2017

The Guardian reports that US representatives to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) have refused to support provisions in resolutions on issues ranging from climate change to migration, including by rejecting a provision of a resolution calling for countries to provide "quality comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services" such as abortions.