Nigeria's UN Security Presidency in August Had Six Stakeouts, 2 Shakespeare Cites, E10

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 31 -- During the UN Security Council's wrap-up session on Monday morning, nearly every Council member cited the revelation of new allegations of sexual abuse by UN Peacekeepers during the month, in Central African Republic. 

  On August 13 there was a closed door briefing on the topic, after which Council president Joy Ogwu waited patiently to provide a summary to the media. But the microphone, as she told Inner City Press the next day, was occupied. She did it on the 14th.

  Ambassador Ogwu did six question and answer stakeouts during August, down from nine during her previous presidency in April 2014 but still more than most presidencies, including by Permanent Five members.

   Perhaps because of her presidency, a number of other Elected Ten members spoke up during the month about the need for a more inclusive Council: not only Venezuela and Chad but also New Zealand. Angola spoke out on the respect due to the African Union, as did Ambassador Ogwu. There was a quiet dignity to the month, and at least two references to Shakespeare.

  Inner City Press for the Free UN Coalition for Access thanked Ogwu for this erudition at Nigeria's August 31 end of presidency reception in the UN's Delegates Dining Room; she countered with descriptions of each of the dishes, including beans and beef.

  During the wrap up session, Ogwu's four presidencies total was referred to by US Deputy David Pressman; another praised her for following up on what she did in April 2014. So, that review is below:

Back on April 20, 2014 when Nigeria's Ambassador to the UN Joy Ogwu came to the Security Council stakeout after tat month as Council president, she paraphrased Shakespeare. All the world is a stage, or the Council is at the center of the play.

  She certainly did her best during the month, in terms of accessibility: she did nine question and answer stakeouts. Including one by foreign minister Aminu Wali on April 28, Nigeria did ten, on topics ranging from Western Sahara, toSyria and the Central African Republic, Darfur, South Sudan and genocide.

  On Western Sahara, to take that example, Ogwu to her credit came out and said that she had pushed the African Union position, that there should be a human rights monitoring mechanism in the MINURSO mission.

  But the MINURSO resolution is written by a "Group of Friends on Western Sahara" that does not include any African Union members, and no mechanism was included.

  On April 30 Inner City Press asked Ogwu about something France's Ambassador Gerard Araud, who once held a mere three question and answer stakeouts in a month as president, had said: that "The UN has never been a place for 'real' negotiation.  It legitimizes or implements agreements reached elsewhere."

   Ogwu said she disagreed, saying that the elected members of the Security Council have sought and obtained a global mandate. It is good, then, that it is Araud set to leave the Council, in July, and not Nigeria.

  In the run-up to Nigeria's end of presidency reception, multiple sources describe angry communications from the old UN Correspondents Association led by Pamela Falk of CBS demanding to know why they weren't at least initially invited. When it was mentioned that Inner City Press was actually at the stakeout during the month, from within the UNCA Executive Committee came an e-mail described as absurd, from a person whose first name begins with "M," on which we may have more. 

 The new Free UN Coalition for Access is not just about free food, and 4:30 pm cocktail receptions as UNCA held on April 30 as Iraq's Ambassador spoke at the stakeout - along with Nigeria's Joy Ogwu. Good month.

  And good end of presidency reception, complete with a short and heartfelt speech by Joy Ogwu, again citing Shakespeare. Talk turned to Burundi - off the record - and to the departure of the Under Secretary General for Public Information (DPI), widely known but on which FUNCA out of respect has sought comment.

  Meanwhile on the fourth floor bulletin board which DPI agreed to after FUNCA advocacy, the FUNCA flier aboutAraud telling a correspondent "you are not a journalist, you are an agent" had been torn down. This is the UN.

  Back on April 2 when Ogwu assumed the UN Security Council presidency Inner City Press asked her about Ukraine being a footnote in the month's Program of Work, and about the predicted fast approval of a new mandate for the MINURSO mission in Western Sahara. Video here, from Minute 21:21

  In the Program of Work the "consultations" on Western Sahara are set for April 17 and adoption of the resolution on April 23. Inner City Press asked if this means it is in the hands of the "Group of Friends," which does not include any African member.

Ogwu replied, "we expect to be fully involved." Given that the African Union position on Western Sahara, will that mean that a human rights monitoring mechanism for MINURSO, as exists in other peacekeeping missions, will be seriously considered? 

  Will the US, which proposed such a mechanism last year, push forward again? Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting both Morocco and Algeria early in April. We'll see.

  On Ukraine, Inner City Press asked if the expect report of UN human rights deputy Ivan Simonovic will trigger a meeting or consultation of the Security Council. Ogwu replied, with due regard for strategic planning, that bridge will be crossed when reached.

  As the second question -- why there is a claim of tradition of UNCA, often the UN's Censorship Alliance trying to get others thrown out of the UN and blocking access to documents on the Internet, automatically getting the first question is and will be addressed elsewhere -- the new Free UN Coalition for Access encouraged Ambassador Ogwu to hold question and answer stakeouts, even brief ones, after closed door consultations, as Luxembourg did (14) in March.

  Ogwu noted the invitation. With agenda items on the Middle East, Central African Republic, Darfur, South Sudan and it seems North Korea, in Arria formula style, such stakeout should be useful. Watch this site.

   

As UK Takes UN Security Council Helm of August, Inner City Press Asks of Libya and Burundi, For Dutch MH17 Letter

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 4, updated -- When UK Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant took questions on August 4 on the program of work for his month as Security Council president, Inner City Press asked him about Libya, including the relation between UK envoy Jonathan Powell and UN envoy Tarek Mitri, and about the UN missions in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Video here.

  Libya is on the month's schedule, but only on August 27. With the US and now UK having out their diplomats and citizens, will the topic be moved up? Lyall Grant said that Libyan Prime Minister al-Thinni had been trying to reach him, perhaps about just that.

  (In Washington al-Thinni was thanking US President Barack Obama for his help with the Libyan oil tanker; in his remarks the UN was not mentioned.)

  Inner City Press asked about allegations by rights defender Mbonimpa and others in Burundi that the ruling party has been training its youth wing in camps in the DRC, specifically in Kaliba Ondes.

  Lyall Grant said that the BNUB mission is the topic and that can be asked about then. Inner City Press will, and also on August 7 when MONUSCO is discussed, with outgoing UN Great Lakes envoy Mary Robinson and the UK's Mark Simmonds.

  Inner City Press had asked by Twitter about Gaza, why no action. Lyall Grant said that the Arab Group would be meeting on August 4, to ask them if they want Council action. Why wouldn't they?

Last week Inner City Press reported on - and put online - North Korea's letter requesting a UN Security Council meeting about the US - South Korean joint military exercises. Lyall Grant said that no Council member had requested such a meeting.

  On Ukraine, Lyall Grant said that the Netherlands on August 1 -- the first day of his presidency of the Council - had submitted a letter about its memorandum of understanding with Kyiv to access the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. Inner City Press has requested a copy of the letter. Watch this site.

Footnote: Inner City Press on behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access thanked Lyall Grant for the briefing and offered hopes that he will do question and answer stakeouts after each closed consultations. He came close to that during his last presidency - but since then the standard has been raised, for example by Luxembourg and Nigeria. Here's hoping.

On August 4 the UK opened an exhibition about World War 1 poetry in the UN lobby (Inner City Press photos here andhere) and there will be an abridged presentation of Shakespeare's Hamlet in the ECOSOC chamber later on August 4. 

Update: In the pre-play press conference, Inner City Press asked if they would go to Palestine, or Western Sahara. The former, perhaps; the latter, not answered. But they have been to Kosovo.

  The Council will go on a trip, but Lyall Grant asked the media not to report to where, or when. We'll have more on this.

From the UK Mission's transcript:

Q: Matthew Lee, Inner City Press. On behalf of the Free UN Coalition for Access, thanks for the briefing and here’s hoping for stakeouts after closed consultations and Q and A. You did it before I'm sure. Let’s do it again. I wanted to ask you about Libya. Seems like, there has been a lot of deterioration of the security there and I know that the UK, as  other countries have, have pulled out. So I wanted to know, it’s on the agenda but sort of at the end of the month. Is there any thought of moving it up or having something. I wanted to know also what, it’s unclear sort of what the Mission is doing now that a lot of its staff has left. Mr. Mitry and I know there is the UK envoy Jonathan Powell. What is the relationship between these various envoys and the UN’s Mission. And just very quickly on Burundi I wanted to ask. There is this issue that has come up where human rights defenders in Burundi have alleged that the ruling party is training its youth wing across the border in the DRC. So it seems like you have MONUSCO on the agenda and you have BINUB. What is the intermission cooperation on something like this where people in one country are alleging something across the border? Do you think that MONUSCO should go and check it out? It doesn’t seem that they have done so today. Is that the kind of thing as President with both items on your agenda.  What do you think of it?

Amb Lyall Grant: On Libya. We do as I say have an event that we particularly scheduled for the 27th of August. But I understand that the Libyan Prime Minister who is in Washington for the US Africa Summit is trying to get a hold of me, so it’s possible that he will want to initiate something in the Security Council. I am only speculating there but nothing is scheduled at the moment in advance of that. That does not mean there is not any activity going on and in my national capacity I can say that, as you mentioned, Jonathan Powell is very active, his US opposite number is very active. They are coordinating with Mr. Mitry who is still in the job. And a number of other international envoys trying to bring about a ceasefire which would allow a national dialogue to take place similar to the sort of national dialogues we have seen in places such as Tunisia and Yemen. So they are being extremely active, they are planning further visits in the course of this month to Libya but of course if the Security Council can play a role  well we as the presidency of the Security Council will facilitate that. On Burundi, we have a Burundi briefing Wednesday afternoon, so I guess that will be the time to take up that issue.