United Nations
Cambodia and Syria: Every refugee crisis is different
The staggering dimensions of the migrant flow into Europe prompts me to offer a note on the Cambodian refugee crisis of the late 1970s and early 1980s, in which I played a small…
Middle East and small island states top priorities as New Zealand takes on UNSC presidency
Six months into its membership of the UN Security Council, New Zealand will get to wield the gavel at the famed horseshoe table in New York over the course of this month…
Australia and UN peacekeeping: Time for a reset
The UN is the go-to organisation for virtually every forgotten international crisis.
While the West has struggled on in Afghanistan and Iraq, the UN and its peacekeeping missions…
New Zealand's UN Security Council debut: Peace in the Middle East
One of Australia's last acts on the UN Security Council was to vote against a resolution being brought by the Palestinian Authority.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel…
What will New Zealand do with its UN Security Council seat?
New Zealand's decisive victory at the UN last month, winning a Security Council seat for two years from January 2015, surprised even the quietly confident. Securing 145 votes out…
Ebola: It is time for Australia to act
By Catherine King MP, Federal Shadow Minister For Health and the Member for Ballarat.
The Ebola crisis is no longer a humanitarian crisis for West Africa; it now poses a direct…
UN Climate Change Summit: A chance for Australia's environmental diplomacy
The UN Climate Change Summit is taking place in New York tomorrow, with attendance by several world leaders including US President Barack Obama and UK Prime Minister David Cameron…
Syria, MH17 and the art of the possible at the UN
Australian diplomacy at the UN has kicked up a gear over the last two weeks. On 14 July the Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2165, drafted by Australia, Jordan and…
Why Kevin Rudd won't be the next UN Secretary General
Wherever Kevin Rudd goes, leadership speculation seems to follow. During his time in Australia, it centred on the stewardship of the Australian Labor Party. Now that he is based…
Syria and the Geneva conference
The so-called Geneva II conference ended last Friday. The key to any negotiation regarding Syria is to aim low and keep one's expectations realistic. It is fair to say that UN…