Association Suisse-ONU / Gesellschaft Schweiz-UNO / UN Association Switzerland’s Post

🇺🇳 Recently, the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) role in global war and peace has been especially apparent to many. Conflict in Ukraine and Gaza and rising tensions in the South China Sea have seen the council face major public scrutiny. Grace Wilkinson argues that the UNSC's structure, dominated by its permanent five members (P5) with veto power, inherently creates obstacles to upholding international peace and security. Wilkinson contends that the political interests of the P5 have led to inaction over global conflicts, undermining the UN's role as a peacekeeper. Despite the need for reform, significant obstacles exist for Wilkinson notably the veto power itself. Therefore, Wilkinson asserts that the UNSC is ineffective and its future uncertain. #UN #UNSC #UNSecurityCouncil #UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil #SecurityCouncil #War #Conflict #Peace https://lnkd.in/dMYua8Za

What is the current state of #US foreign policy, and what could change under a potential second #Trump administration? 🇺🇲 🌎 In our interview with Fred Fleitz, former Deputy Assistant to President Donald Trump and Chief of Staff of the US National Security Council, we cover potential future scenarios regarding the #Ukraine war, US relations with Israel and developments in the Middle East, as well as the American strategic approach across various world regions. Read what could happen under another Trump presidency: https://lnkd.in/dQrJVU9q

The Global Impact of the #Trump Conviction in the US ISSA's "Defense & Foreign Affairs Special Analysis" on May 31, 2024, studied the impact on the global security situation of the criminal conviction of former US Pres. Donald Trump, a contender for the November 5, 2024, presidential election. The full text is in the report, below, along with a report from the chief of the "Defense & Foreign Affairs" Near East bureau, Lt.-Gen. (rtd.) Lazaros #Kampouridis, on #Türkiye's attempts to create a new social framework along totalitarian lines. The report also includes reviews of two important new books.

The recent meeting between US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Japanese counterpart Akiba Takeo emphasizes the enduring strength of the US-Japan Alliance. As they prepare for Prime Minister Kishida's visit to the United States, as I anticipated, both nations reaffirmed their commitment to addressing regional and global challenges. As I see The discussions emphasize the importance of collaboration with like-minded partners in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.  With geopolitical tensions on the rise, such dialogues serve as crucial platforms for fostering diplomatic ties and reinforcing share[d values. As strategic allies, the United States and Japan stand united in their resolve to tackle complex security issues and advance mutual interests on the global stage. https://lnkd.in/geYJkdpV #USJapanAlliance #USJapanRelations #IndoPacificSecurity #GeopoliticalDialogue #GlobalCollaboration #DiplomaticTies #SecurityPartnership #RegionalStability #MutualInterests #KishidaVisit

This is a critical moment for Israel. The recent verdict on Netanyahu and his government is damning, and the country is increasingly becoming isolated, losing support from Western backers like the US. According to reports, Biden has now admitted that Netanyahu has never believed in a two-state system, which is essential for peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. In the midst of all this, former Israeli military chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot, has challenged Netanyahu's Gaza strategy. This is a significant development, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the coming days. What are your thoughts on this issue? Share your views in the comments below.

New Post: Myanmar Junta to Enforce Military Draft - https://lnkd.in/gJ5EDT8q - Three years after it took power in a coup, the regime appears to be on the defensive. But it remains unclear if the rebels can overthrow the military. - #news #business #world -------------------------------------------------- Download: Stupid Simple CMS - https://lnkd.in/g4y9XFgR -------------------------------------------------- or download at SourceForge - https://lnkd.in/gNqB7dnp

United States Backs Africa’s U.N. Security Council Bid, With a Catch Sept. 12, 2024 The United States would support two permanent seats for African states on the U.N. Security Council, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said on Thursday. But the path to making that promise a reality is complicated. The announcement, which echoes a similar call from the U.N. secretary general, António Guterres, to overhaul the Council so it would reflect the world powers of the 21st century, comes ahead of the U.N. General Assembly later this month. The Security Council has 15 members, five of which have permanent seats with veto power: the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France. The other 10 members of the Council rotate every two years. Adding any new permanent members would require the approval of all five permanent members and changing the U.N. charter, a dim prospect given the divisions among the permanent members. Adding only African countries as permanent members would most likely get pushback from other countries, including Japan, Brazil, India, Germany and Italy. For years, those nations have also lobbied for seats, arguing that the world had evolved since the aftermath of World War II when the world body was founded. Still, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield’s announcement could be viewed as a geopolitical gesture toward repairing U.S. relations with Africa, which have been frayed by the conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, and toward matching Chinese and Russian influence there. The two U.S. rivals, which have been keen on expanding their influence on the continent, have already backed permanent seats for Africa on the Security Council. [...] African countries have long pushed for permanent seats on the Council, arguing that the size of the population living on the continent, as well as its economy and its pressing issues, should be represented permanently at the world body. Nations from Asia, Europe and Latin America have made similar campaigns. Africa is one of the largest voting blocs in the U.N., with 53 member states. The majority of U.N. peacekeeping missions are in Africa, and thousands of Africans serve in these missions. [...] Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said on Thursday that the United States would support the expansion of the Security Council’s permanent membership to include not only African members, but also a rotating seat for small island states. Her announcement, however, came with a significant catch: The White House did not back providing new permanent members with the same veto power to block resolutions that the current five permanent members have. [...]   https://lnkd.in/e_nhsBzn?

Ireland is 13 years without a dedicated minister for defence Leo Varadkar's parting shot as Taoiseach highlights the international and domestic argument for a full-time defence minister By Cormac O’Keeffe / Irish Examiner In his farewell speech, outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar raised issues he thought were worth highlighting to the nation. There were no surprises in most of them — relating to the economy, housing and health — but one did stand out: national security. It is a topic typically on the fringes of political priorities. So, for it to feature in his top five issues, is significant. What he said is worth repeating: “The fifth [issue] is national security. For the first time in decades, we have a full-scale war in Europe with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Sweden has abandoned 200 years of neutrality. Finland has joined NATO. “Some European countries are debating the re-introduction of national service, others raising taxes, cutting expenditure and reducing holidays to pay for increased defence spending. “European leaders I speak to see very dark clouds on the near horizon. They may be wrong. I hope they are wrong. “We cannot assume they are, or ignore the growing risks of a world in which democracy is in retreat and autocrats more powerful.” Mr Varadkar added: “Our geography and neutrality do not protect us in the way they did in the past and the nature of security threats has changed utterly. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/ei-aXJsi #DefenceForces #IrishArmy #IrishNavy #IrishAirCorps #NavalService #Navy #AirCorps #Army #Jobs #Recruitment #Retention #Leadership #Defence #Military #Management #Security

In response to a series of setbacks, the Colombian government has shifted its approach to peace negotiations, engaging in dialogues with regional blocs of the Central General Staff (EMC) and an individual front of the National Liberation Army (ELN). This departure from previous strategies marks a significant adjustment in President Gustavo Petro’s flagship Total Peace plan. The decision to pursue dialogues with regional factions suggests a reevaluation of priorities, with a willingness to pursue smaller victories with local criminal groups despite potential risks to broader peace talks with larger organizations. Notably, this approach recognizes that neither of the group’s leaders, Antonio García nor Iván Mordisco, holds absolute control over the ELN or EMC, challenging the notion of a strictly centralized command structure. However, this strategy is not without its obstacles. While agreements with individual factions may yield improvements in local security conditions, their impact on Colombia’s overall conflict dynamics may be limited. Furthermore, simultaneous negotiations with multiple groups demand significant resources in terms of finances and personnel, potentially complicating the peace process and its outcomes. Read our more detailed analysis of Colombia’s evolving peace negotiations here: https://bit.ly/4drfuao

"Our electoral system is under siege, under question, and our politics are in flux. I think there's plenty of opportunity for Putin to take advantage of the situation." In conversation with Simon Saradzhyan, Fiona Hill, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs at the NSC, discussed a range of issues: 👉 Global Elections affecting geopolitics in 2024 (there are sixty-four elections this year) 👉 U.S.-Russia relations through the prism of the war in Ukraine 👉 What a Labour Party win in the U.K. could mean for Russia and Ukraine 👉 Whether U.S.-Russia relations would change under Trump 👉 Trust in the American electoral process, and whether this is an opportunity for outside influence And more. You can read the full transcript through the Russia Matters Project.