By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive
UNITED NATIONS, February 28 – A week ago, amid outcry that Sudan would head up the Humanitarian segment at the UN's Economic and Social Council, ECOSOC President Nestor Osorio told Inner City Press he had worked out a compromise.
Inner City Press reported it, and this afternoon in an open session of ECOSOC it was confirmed.
Sudan will cede the Humanitarian segment to Pakistan, from which it will take over the so-called Coordination segment. The ECOSOC session takes place this summer in Geneva.
After the short session where this was announced, Inner City Press spoke with Osorio, Masood Khan and finally Sudan's Permanent Representative Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman, who told Inner City Press: "You know, to show that we here respect the multilateral system. But some want to act otherwise.. Anyway, coordination touches on more than humanitarian."
Inner City Press has asked the US Mission for comment. Osorio on February 28 told Inner City Press, "do you see how we do with diplomacy, with our bureau?"
Whether this will or should be enough for those who opposed Sudan for the Humanitarian segment is open to question. “Coordination” involves the interplay of UN system entities like the UN Development Program, UNICEF, UNFPA and other funds and programs. What's the difference?
But given the situation in Sudan's Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states, where a Tripartite Agreement to deliver aid was never implemented, chairing the Humanitarian segment was for some a step too far. And Coordination?
The US has another concern and desire to trade or block: Palestine as a Vice Chair of the Arms Trade Treaty, another story first reported by Inner City Press. And we'll have more on that. Watch this site.
