No. 11 - September 2008

Greetings!

Welcome to the autumn 2008 issue of the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) newsletter. We hope you had a wonderful summer. A lot has happened thus far in 2008 and we are happy to bring you up to date with GPPi's activities.

We are pleased to announce the launch of several new undertakings here at GPPi since April: The beginning of a two-year research project entitled “Learning to Build the Rule of Law? The Evolution of Police and Judicial Reform in EU Peace Operations” which is funded by the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung; secondly, the “‘Brusselisation’ and the emergence of a strategic culture in the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)” which is funded by the Volkswagen Stiftung, Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, and Compagnia di San Paolo; thirdly, “Adaptation and Refinement of the World Bank’s Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA)” commissioned by the  German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ); and fourthly, GPPi will extend its monitoring and evaluation work, commissioned by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), into the second year with the project entitled “Implementing the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the Gender Standby Capacity Project (GenCap)”.

We would also like to draw your attention to the launch of GPPi’s new discussion series entitled “Transatlantic Dialogues on Humanitarian Action”. The discussion series is part of GPPi’s “Raising the Bar: Enhancing transatlantic governance of disaster relief and preparedness” project, the aim of which is to enhance transatlantic coherence and cooperation in humanitarian action. The dialogue sessions bring together key decision makers to discuss the project’s research findings, and to help develop an Action Plan for increased transatlantic cooperation and coordination as we well as mutual learning in humanitarian action. 

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 edition’s “Global Issues in the News” section, we focus on business and human rights as well as the role of business in humanitarian assistance. For more information, please visit our homepage at www.gppi.net

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Research

Raising the Bar
Enhancing transatlantic governance of disaster relief and preparedness

Changing Rules of the Game
Global Energy Governance in the 21st Century

Learning to Build Peace?
The United Nations, Peacebuilding and Organizational Learning

The European Union, China, and Global Governance
Perceptions, Misperceptions, and Convergences

EU Foreign Policy Towards China
The Institutional Politics of Cooperation

The New Protectorates
International Administration and the Dilemmas of Governance

Crisis and Change
The UN Secretariat and the Quest for Accountability

'Brusselisation' and the emergence of a strategic culture in the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)

Learning to Build the Rule of Law?
The Evolution of Police and Judicial Reform in EU Peace Operations 

Consulting

The Role of Private Actors in Africa's Aid Landscape: Country Case Uganda 

Networking United Nations Private Sector Focal Points

Supporting the "Decent Trade": Theme Group for the Geneva Trade and Development Forum (GTDF) on Inclusive Globalization

Adaptation and Refinement of the World Bank's Country Policy and Institutional Assessment (CPIA)

Evaluation of the Development Partnership Program of the Austrian Development Agency

Implementing the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the Gender Standby Capacity Project (Gencap)

Debate

Transatlantic Energy Security Dialogues

Global Atlanticists

Transatlantic Dialogues on Humanitarian Action

Topic 1

1. Protect, Respect and Remedy: a Framework for Business and Human Rights
By: John Ruggie, Harvard Professor and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on business and human rights, 7 April 2008

Summary: Drawing on 14 multi-stakeholder consultations and extensive research, John Ruggie, a Harvard Professor and the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative on business and human rights, released his third report which lays out a strategic policy framework for better managing business and human rights challenges.

The framework rests on three fundamental principles: the states duty to protect against human rights abuses by business; the corporate responsibility to respect human rights; and the need for better access by victims to effective remedies. The UN Human Rights Council endorsed Ruggie's framework and extended his mandate for three more years.

2. Beyond the “genocide Olympics”
By: The Economist, 24 April 2008

Summary: Optimism on the marketing benefits for this summers Beijing Olympics sponsors drowned after human rights activists branded the Bejing games the "genocide Olympics". This article looks at the old divide between political activists and business realists on human rights issues. It suggests that the divide is not all true and that activists, big companies and government often work together on important issues such as human righhts.  

The article draws on John Ruggie's new report for the UN Human Rights Council which reflects the new consensus shared by activists, big firms and government. The article suggests that focusing on the old divide of activists who favor protest and business realists who favor "constructive engagement" does not reflect the reality on the ground.  

3. Business and human rights: Ruggie report – Finally, let the real work begin
By: Sir Geoffrey Chandler, Founder, Amnesty International UK Business Group, 2 June 2008

Summary: This article looks at the strengths and weaknesses of the final report to the UN Human Rights Council on a proposed framework on business and human rights presented by Special Representative John Ruggie. While praising the value of the report, the article also suggests that as it stands Mr. Ruggie’s report is incomplete.

The article argues, amongst other things, that the report fails to take into account that companies are susceptible to a “single over-riding driver” – measuring performance largely on financial criteria. It also suggests that the Mr. Ruggie has delivered a springboard where forward movement is possible. The article calls on private and public office holders to assist the implementation of this uncompleted work.

Topic 2

1. Myanmar after the cyclone: Crony charity
From: The Economist, 19 June 2008

Summary: This article points out that businesses, as opposed to governments, are better suited for the quick and short-term interventions needed after natural disasters arise. The article argues that after cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, aid workers, using the warehouses and boats of private companies, were able to channel food, shelter and medicine to stricken communities who would otherwise have languished.

The article argues that private business remains the most effective way of channelling aid where needed. Yet it also cautioned that in the case of Myanmar, some business cronies of the ruling government expolited thier role as relief co-ordinators for financial gains at the expense of the disaster victims.

2. A venture into frontier markets
By: John Willman, The Financial Times, 30 July 2008

Summary: This article argues that while government organizations and non-government organizations are good at long-term projects for restoration, only companies, given their entrepreneurial skills and agility, can provide the rapid intervention needed to kickstart local economies and help restabilize the community.

The article points out that companies can use their business skills to efficiently identify, design and implement community projects and also become important players and strategic partners for NGOs in emerging markets. According to Brigadier Ed Butler of the British forces in southern Afghanistan, “If the army can create a secure environment, business can quickly restore activity by employing people, paying wages and supporting families”.