UN in Focus Newsbrief N0. 4/2012 May 2012 Quick Links FES NY Events FES NY Publications More About Us Dear colleagues and friends, Twenty years after the World Earth Summit 1992, the upcoming 2012"Rio+20" UN conference for Sustainable Development will be taking place in June. It is probably the last occasion for a long time to come to address major economic, social and environmental challenges the world is facing and to find a consensus between all member states about how to chart a new course toward a future we all want and share. FES New York is organizing a high-level side event on June 20 at RioCentro to discuss"Sustainable development in an unequal world". Among the speakers will be Michelle Bachelet, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Sharan Burrow, Anthony Lake and Mary Robinson. Additionally, the FES is participating in the Rio+20 People´s Summit with 5 different events. Right before going to Rio, on June 8-9 FES New York, together with the President of the General Assembly and the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs will host a retreat to prepare UN Member States for the quadrennial comprehensive policy review(QCPR) on UN operational activities for development. And later in July, we will be supporting a number of civil society events dealing with the concept of the"Responsibility to Protect" and its applications and lessons learned. In addition, I would like to draw your attention to three new publications on different aspects of the work of the Security Council, and on the role of the BRICS in global governance. As usual, I hope this Newsbrief will make for informative reading. With best wishes from New York, Dr. Werner Puschra Director Friedrich Ebert Stiftung- New York Office

Upcoming Event "Sustainable Development in an Unequal World" (A panel discussion with world leaders, past and present) June 20, 2012, 17:00-18:30 Rio Centro Convention Center, Room T-4, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The vision statement from the UN Secretary-General's High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability offers an insightful summary of the global state of affairs:"Today our planet and our world are experiencing the best of times and the worst of times... Inequality between the world's rich and poor is growing, and more than a billion people still live in poverty. In many countries, there are rising waves of protest reflecting universal aspirations for a more prosperous, just and sustainable world." In this event, which is co-sponsored by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Club de Madrid, Republica de Costa Rica and International Trade Union Confederation, world leaders past and present will speak to the urgent need of millions of people worldwide for equitable and sustainable development to get out of poverty and to ensure their security and stability. These leaders will also address the challenge for every country to transition to sustainable consumption and production patterns that can ensure socially equitable and economically and environmentally viable human development, objectives which should be pursued together. Download Program Upcoming Event "Dialogue on UN Operational Activities for Development: Preparations for the 2012 QCPR" June 8-9, 2012(By Invitation Only) Retreat at Tarrytown, New York This retreat will be the third event sponsored by the President of the General Assembly, the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs, and FES New York to prepare UN Member States for the quadrennial comprehensive policy review(QCPR) on UN operational activities for development. The retreat provides an opportunity for Permanent Representatives and other senior officials from Member States and UN entities to exchange in-depth substantive analysis on how to adapt UN operational activities for development to the evolving global context. It is intended that these discussions in an informal setting will contribute significantly to the debates and negotiations of the General Assembly later this year on the 2012-2016 QCPR resolution. Preliminary Program Retreat QCPR Info by UN DESA Info Note for All Seminars Program(Seminar I) Summary(Seminar I) Program(Seminar II)

Upcoming Event "Global Civil Society Perspectives on the Responsibility to Protect" June 11- 13, 2012 New York FES New York supports a series of meetings organized by Global Action to Prevent War(GAPW) and its partners from civil society organizations from various continents. The discussions will address the emerging norm of"Responsibility to Protect" and reflect on how various UN Mandates can contribute to the prevention of mass atrocities. For more information contact FES New York's Volker Lehmann. New Publication "The UN Security Council and Human Rights: State Sovereignty and Human Dignity" David P. Forsythe FES International Policy Analysis May 2012 The UN Security Council is the world's preeminent international body to maintain global peace and security. Over time, the Council also has increasingly addressed intra-state gross human rights violations. This publication by David P. Forsythe analyzes such developments against the backdrop of human rights considerations on the one hand and state sovereignty on the other. Concrete examples highlight the varying degrees of action of the Council and the political interests of its permanent and non-permanent members. The author concludes with a number of recommendations for the improvement of the Council's reaction to gross human rights violations. Download New Publication "BRICS in Global Governance- A Progressive Force?" Niu Haibin FES New York Perspective April 2012 On the regional level the BRICS States have proven to be strong players in maintaining regional security and dealing with economic challenges. Given their increasing economic size they are also gaining influence on the international stage. This publication analyzes the role of the emerging powers with regard to the reform of the Security Council, the G20 and the international financial institutions. Reforming the current global institutions has become a priority issue for emerging powers who want their values and visions reflected in the future world order. While the BRICS States have been able to coordinate their politics on a number of issues, for example by contributing to the global recovery plan of the G20, this political unity is lacking with regards to the SC reform, which makes the reform process even tougher. In sum, the

author sees the need for a mutual and gradual adaption of the emerging powers into the system to make global governance structures more representative and effective. Download New Publication " The UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court: Towards a More Principled Relationship" Lawrence Moss FES International Policy Analysis March 2012 The UN Security Council's power to refer potential prosecutions to the International Criminal Court(ICC) in situations outside the Court's treaty-based territorial and nationality jurisdiction helps deter the perpetration of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity everywhere in the world. It is unclear if referral to the ICC has had any effect in preventing the commission of further crimes in Darfur or Libya, and referral was no substitute for the Council's use of other measures to restore peace and security. Download Forward email This email was sent to vlehmann@fesny.org by vlehmann@fesny.org| Update Profile/Email Address| Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™| Privacy Policy. Friedrich Ebert Foundation| 747 Third Avenue, Suite 22B| New York| NY| 10017