Elections and appointments take place rather frequently in the UN system, as do training seminars and other multilateral leadership news. Starting today, we will be re-launching the periodic “Morning Memo” to highlight these and analyses by others.
- Colum Lynch writes on how India, Brazil and South Africa continue to feed into the “not ready for prime time” criticism with their position on Syria. Ironically, Syria’s neighbors support taking a harder line than IBSA.
- India nonetheless still wants to join the permanent member club, perhaps ignoring how its assertiveness may be dampening American support in favor of appealing to the General Assembly, according to The Multilaterist,.
- During last November’s training for newly elected Council members, several participants complained about the “second-class” treatment they received from the P5 in drafting resolutions’ text, appointing subsidiary body chairs, or being informed about groups-of- friends consultations. One participant noted that it takes six months to learn the ropes, leaving only 18 months for an elected member “to be productive.”
- Tetsuro Urabe (Japan) was elected to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to complete the term of Dr. Kensaku Tamaki who passed away in April. Professor Urabe, the sole candidate, was elected 131-0 and will serve until next June. (Related docs: SPLOS/232, /233 and /234)
- Ban Ki-Moon re-election in June now begs the question, will the Deputy Secretary General be re-elected? She has been on “official travel” for the past month according to the DSG’s office, but with no official functions being reported. Inner City Press suggests she could be lobbying for own second term of her own.
