Global Public Policy Institute Newsletter

No. 6 - December 2006

 

 

Greetings and happy holidays!

 

This is the sixth newsletter of the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi). Our newsletter appears three times a year to keep you informed about the institute, to post our newest publications, and to share interesting recent news on global public policy-making. In this issue, we focus on the incoming United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the UN High-Level Panel on System-Wide Coherence as well as two recent reports issued by John Ruggie, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Business and Human Rights. As always, further information can be found on our website: www.gppi.net.  

 

With Germany taking over both the EU and the G8 presidency on January 1, 2007, the new year promises to be challenging and interesting for all those working on global affairs and governance in Berlin. We will cover Germany’s dual presidency in our next newsletter. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this issue and we wish everyone a nice holiday season.

 

Contents of this newsletter:

 

A) News from the Institute

B) Upcoming Events

C) New and Active Projects

D) New Publications

E) Global Issues in the News

 

A) News from the Institute (all headlines link to article)

 

 

 

B) Upcoming Events

 

 

C) New and Active Projects

 

Research

 

Consulting

 

Debate

 

D) New Publications

 

 

 

E) Global Issues in the News:

 

Topic 1: Ban Ki Moon

 

1. Title:  Enter Mr. Ban: The UN's New Secretary-General

 

From: The Economist, 5 October 2006 (subscription required)

http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=E1_RDDDJGQ

 

Summary:

 

While pointing out the general lack of much-needed UN administrative reform under current Secretary-General Kofi Annan, this article argues that Mr. Ban could potentially provide the spark needed to overhaul the UN's administration, bring in new talent and restore bureaucratic morale. The article also emphasizes, on the other hand, that "the UN's opaque selection procedure has alighted upon the lowest common denominator: a yes-man who will shrink from standing up to the big powers and driving overdue reforms through the world body."

 

However, due to his fastidious administration skills and reputation of being a "harmonizer", the article argues that Mr. Ban may prove worthy if his behind-the-scenes mediating ability can promote administrative reform while also building bridges between UN member states.

 

 

2. Title: Ban Ki-moon: the New Face of the United Nations

 

From: Jeffrey Sachs, Project Syndicate

http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/sachs117

 

Summary:

 

In this article, Jeffrey Sachs, professor of Economics and Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, writes along with the new Secretary-General, new approaches are needed at the UN. Issues such as poverty, the environment, nuclear proliferation, and UN reform, as well as Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Palestine, Lebanon, Somalia, Myanmar, Sudan, North Korea, and others remain pressing issues to be dealt with as Ban enters office.

 

Sachs argues that "the key for today’s UN...is not to create more goals, but to implement those that have been set. This, too, fits strongly with the spirit in which Ban has approached his new position. He has made clear his intention that the UN should implement the commitments that the world community has made. Without implementation, all of the treaties in the world would lead us nowhere." He also emphasizes the emerging role of Asian countries and their growing role and responsibility in shaping global stability.

 

 

3. Title: The Way We Live Now; Ban Ki-moon vs. the Bad Guys

 

From:  James Traub, The New York Times, 5 November 2006 (subscription required)

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00F14FD395B0C768CDDA80994DE404482

 

Summary:

 

As Ban Ki-moon takes over responsibility from Secretary-General Kofi Annan, this article addresses the issue of the newly reformed UN Human Rights Council and Mr. Ban's commitment to live up to "the hightened expectations of the international community." In light of the failure of the previous UN Human Rights Commission, this article asks, "Is he promising more than he can deliver?"

 

In addition to emphasizing the arbitrary formulation of the new Council, the article also emphasizes that both Washington and Beijing played the decisive role in the selection of Mr. Ban by seeking a candidate who would be more "secretary" than "general". However, if Mr. Ban breaks through his bureaucratic persona, his effect on the issue of human rights could be notable. The article states, "Ban has spoken chiefly of managerial issues and from all appearances is a very recent convert to the cause of human rights. Yet if no amount of reform can change the underlying dynamics of the Human Rights Council, then it is the secretary general himself who must meet those expectations. Ban Ki-moon will have to find his voice."

 

 

Topic 2: The United Nations' High-Level Panel on System-Wide Coherence

 

1. Title: Delivering as One: Report of the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel

 

From: The Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on UN System-wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance, and the Environment

http://www.un.org/events/panel/resources/pdfs/HLP-SWC-FinalReport.pdf

 

Summary:

 

In this report, the Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on System-Wide Coherence comes to a number of conclusions regarding the work of the United Nations. The 15 member Panel, comprised of top-level officials, commends the UN for its discourse on issues such as human development; its promotion of the Millennium Development Goals; its leading role concerning the concept of sustainable development; its response to humanitarian disasters; and for mobilizing environmental protection. However, it also suggests areas of improvement such as the UN’s often fragmented and weak work on development and environment; its inefficient and ineffective governance and unpredictable funding that have contributed to policy incoherence; duplication and operational ineffectiveness across the system; competition for funding; and outdated business practices.

 

By adopting the slogan "delivering as one", the panel put forth recommendations on how to address these issues and deliver better focus on performance, efficiency, accountability and results within the UN system, as well as how to enhance the role and voice of developing countries.

 

 

2. Title: Unifying the UN

 

From: Shaukat Aziz, Luísa Dias Diogo and Jens Stoltenberg, the

International Herald Tribune, 9 November 2006

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/08/opinion/edaziz.php

 

Summary:

 

In this article, High-Level Panel for System-Wide Coherence members Shaukat Aziz (Prime Minister of Pakistan), Luísa Dias Diogo (Prime Minister of Mozambique) and Jens Stoltenberg (Prime Minister of Norway) urge a radical overhauling of the United Nations and cite their report "Delivering as One" as a guide.  

 

"While the UN and its specialized agencies have much to offer in the way of expertise, knowledge, resources and practical experience", they write, "much of this is the result of policy incoherence, program duplication and vested interests in the status quo. There is no shortage of highly professional and dedicated people within UN ranks, but many find their efforts thwarted by inappropriate administrative procedures, mediocre management and ill-conceived loyalties."

 

The "One UN" approach they recommend would include the establishment of a set of more appropriate governance, managerial and financial mechanisms, for example a multiyear financing mechanism of UN country programs; a complete overhaul of UN business practices; and the systematic measuring of results against the millennium development goals.

 

 

3. Title: More Power for UN Reps Urged

 

From: Mark Turner, the Financial Times, 9 November 2006

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/c711bc32-7018-11db-9da6-0000779e2340.html

 

Summary:

 

This article focuses on the Panel's recommendation for more centralised control over competing and overlapping funds and programs; a problem that sees organizations like UNICEF collecting large donations while other agencies struggle to gather funding. Specifically, it suggests "designing unified UN development plans in each country, to put all funds into a single pot, and then to allocate money to the different agencies as appropriate." As a result, this system would be overseen by a UN resident-coordinator with much more authority.

 

However, it is still uncertain whether this recommendation will be carried out in practice. The article stresses that developing countries often complain about a system that taxes their limited administrative capacity to carry out agreements, and that there is money to be saved from greater efficiency. In addition, the US and other countries are suspicious of consolidating power in the hands of fewer officials, while a reluctance also exists among UN agency heads to share power.

 

 

4. Title: Gender Equality May Finally Arrive at the United Nations

 

From: Women's Environment & Development Organization (WEDO)

http://www.wedo.org/files/Nov9PRPacket.pdf

 

Summary:

 

This article praises the Panel on its recommendation for a stronger women's agency within the UN. The potential new agency would consolidate three existing women's units within the UN: Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI), Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), and the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). The new agency would be headed by a newly created Under-Secretary General.

 

"We and our colleagues around the world are pleased that one of the Panel's boldest recommendations is for an independent women's agency that will strengthen the UN's capacity, leadership and resources for gender equality," said June Zeitlin, Executive Director of WEDO.

 

 

Topic 3: John Ruggie and Human Rights

 

1. Title: Human Rights Policies and Management Practices of Fortune Global 500 Firms: Results of a Survey

 

From: John Ruggie, Harvard University and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Business & Human Rights, 1 September 2006

http://www.reports-and-materials.org/Ruggie-survey-Fortune-Global-500.pdf

 

Summary:

 

On July 28, 2005, Secretary-General Kofi Annan asked Professor John Ruggie of Harvard University to undertake an assignment to collect new or additional information on what firms and governments are currently doing in relation to business and human rights, as well as compile a compendium of best practices. In this report, the results of a survey completed by 102 Fortune 500 companies are presented and provide insight into the human rights practices of the largest global businesses.

 

In addition to this report, in February 2006 Ruggie delivered his interim report and the final report is due in the spring of 2007. He also posts a number of other reports, working papers, the text of remarks as well as exchanges with different stakeholders on matters related to the mandate on his homepage at the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre website.

 

 

2. Title: Global Companies 'Keener to Avoid Rights Scandals'

 

From: Hugh Williamson, the Financial Times, 1 September 2006

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/77d77060-3956-11db-a21d-0000779e2340.html

 

Summary:

 

This article from the Financial Times presents some of the significant findings of Ruggie's survey results. The article states, "[s]candals linking global companies with human rights abuses have triggered a rush by businesses to find ways to avoid being sucked into similar crises." However, Ruggie stated that "human rights policies [revealed in the survey] are more robust than people give [companies] credit for."

 

To read the report "Human Rights Policies and Management Practices of Fortune Global 500 Firms: Results of a Survey", please visit http://www.reports-and-materials.org/Ruggie-survey-Fortune-Global-500.pdf.

 

 

3. Title: Business Recognition of Human Rights: Global Patterns, Regional and Sectoral Variations

 

From: John Ruggie, Harvard University and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Business & Human Rights, 12 December 2006

Click here to download the report

 

Summary:

 

This study complements Ruggie's survey of the human rights policies and management practices of the Global Fortune 500 (FG500) companies, however, it differs from that survey in three important respects. First, it is based on actual documentation of such policies and practices rather than on questionnaire responses. Second, it includes a broader cross-section of companies, including transnational and national companies domiciled in emerging markets and developing countries. Third, it provides information about the human rights standards of business entities other than firms.

 

The two studies together comprise the most comprehensive analysis yet conducted on the subject of business and human rights. Part I summarizes the publicly available information of more than 300 companies that have human rights policies and management practices in place – setting out how they address the broad spectrum of rights as evidenced in company reports, websites, codes of conduct, and general policies. Part II identifies the human rights standards included in selected collective initiatives, both industry-based and multi-stakeholder. And Part III examines the human rights criteria employed by SRI indices when selecting companies for investment.

 

 

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