Vol 64 No 9 | AFRICAUNITED NATIONS Africa still has a Ukraine problem 27th April 2023 UN diplomats we sounded out last year on the European war are now just as indifferent, or hostile, to the western position on Russia When the UN General Assembly met to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year the reluctance of Africa's representatives to condemn Moscow surprised many. Twent...
DISPATCHES Vol 64 No 9 | KENYAUNITED STATESUNITED NATIONS Careless talk about 'ruthless' Ruto 18th April 2023 The leak of a caustic aside by the deputy head of the UN triggers a diplomatic furore Of the over 500-gigabyte cache of classified defence documents in the so-called Pentagon leaks, a conversation between UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his deputy A... READ FOR FREE
DISPATCHES Vol 63 No 24 | AFRICAUNITED NATIONSTAX African nations win latest round on UN tax reform body 29th November 2022 Defying opposition from the Paris-based OECD club of rich countries, developing economies are trying to win rights for a greater share of global tax revenues The United Nations has agreed to lay the groundwork for the creation of a new system of international tax cooperation by approving a resolution on 23 November to begin talks on est... READ FOR FREE
Vol 63 No 23 | AFRICAUNITED NATIONSCLIMATE CHANGECOP27 Delegates haggle in Egypt as the planet burns 17th November 2022 African leaders argued for the continent's fossil fuels at the UN COP27 summit amid fierce debates over energy access and compensation for climate change That the UN's climate summit in Sharm el Sheikh has been popularised as the 'African COP' owes as much to the strong African focus of the negotiations as to the location. Whether o... READ FOR FREE
Vol 63 No 23 | AFRICAUNITED NATIONS Lobbyist brings down climate fund 17th November 2022 The UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) was forced to scrap its flagship Team Energy Africa initiative, days before its launch at COP27, after being embarrassed over the invo...
Vol 63 No 20 | UNITED STATESAFRICAUNITED NATIONS Geopolitical divides take centre stage at the UN 30th September 2022 New policy statements on Africa from Washington and Brussels are being measured against sluggish actions on debt and climate policy Russia's war on Ukraine dominated the best attended UN General Assembly for years – much to the detriment of progress on preparations for the COP27 climate summit and a more ...
DISPATCHES Vol 63 No 19 | AFRICAUNITED NATIONSCOP27 Developing economies step up pressure on food crisis climate finance 21st September 2022 Widening inequality and environmental devastation undercut chances of meeting sustainable development goals by 2030 The best guess by development economists at the UN General Assembly is that only two of the UN's 17 sustainable development goals will be achieved – both are about children's... READ FOR FREE
Vol 63 No 17 | MOROCCOUNITED NATIONSWESTERN SAHARA Rabat and Algiers cross swords over UN role 11th August 2022 Western Sahara remains in limbo while the two states tussling over it step up guerrilla diplomacy The latest skirmishes in the long-running struggle between Morocco and Algeria over Western Sahara have drawn in the UN as they exchange fire over allegations of impropriety by the...
DISPATCHES Vol 63 No 17 | UNITED NATIONSAFRICAN UNIONCLIMATE CHANGE Fight over Africa’s fossil fuels intensifies 9th August 2022 Climate negotiators push back against AU plan for common position on gas and nuclear energy playing a ‘critical role’ in short to medium term The African Union’s plan to ramp up oil and gas production launched at a preparatory meeting with national negotiating teams has triggered a row with climate experts and green ener... READ FOR FREE
Vol 63 No 16 | EGYPTMALIUNITED NATIONS Egypt adds to Minusma's misery 4th August 2022 Egypt plans to withdraw its combat convoy units from the Mission multidimensionnelle intégrée des Nations unies pour la stabilisation au Mali (Minusma) UN peacekeeping force in Mal...