Enough of Double Standards!

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Enough of Double Standards!

By Dr. Zlatko Hadžidedić.

Deutsche Welle recently published a comment on Bosnia-Herzegovina written by Stefan Schwarz, a renowned German politician. In this text, the author advocates a revision of the German policy towards Bosnia, proposing a change of the country’s constitution, which needs to be jointly supported by Germany and the US. According to Schwarz, the current Bosnian constitution, imposed on the Bosnians by the American ‘peacemaker’ Richard Holbrooke in 1995, amputated the country’s territory and destroyed its soul.

The Dayton operation formally saved the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina, but has dimantled its vital functions. Moreover, it has rewarded the convicted war criminals with huge parts of its territory, which is now controlled by these corrupt oligarchies as their private property, absolutely guaranteed by the international contract signed in Dayton. Therefore, says Schwarz, the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, commonly considered the most powerful woman in the world, has a great responsibility to use her power to press for a constituional order that would make Bosnia compatible with other European countries. 

A systematic dissolution, from Lisbon to Dayton

It is difficult not to agree with Mr. Schwartz in his diagnosis of the Bosnian problems. It is also difficult not to agree about the need for constitutional changes, although the author does not go into specifics. Simply, there is no doubt that the current constitution must be changed if the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina is ever going to start functioning.

For, the Bosnian state institutions are, first and formost, blocked by the existing constitutional structure, and only then by the will of the local ethno-nationalist leaders, who only take advantage of it. Yet, the point at which we, as Bosnians who remember the country’s recent past, have to disagree with Mr. Schwarz is the thesis that Bosnia’s ethnic partition was simply a result of the US-sponsored Dayton Peace Agreement. 

For, Dayton was only the concluding part in the process of systematic dissolution of the country’s sovereignty, launched and sponsored by the European Union and the United Nations, and carried out by their nominated representatives, Lord Carrington, Jose Cutileiro, Cyrus Vance, Lord Owen, Thorvald Stoltenberg. This process began at the Lisbon Conference, in February 1992, several months before the outbreak of the war, having resulted with the Carrington-Cutileiro Plan, the first internationally sponsored plan for ethnic partition of Bosnia.

The very existence of this pre-war plan shows that ethnic partition was not proposed as a provisional solution for the ongoing war, as has been repeated many times ever since, including the comment by Mr. Schwarz. Rather, the war itself, with ethnic cleansing as a tool in the creation of ethnically homogenous territories out of the single territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina, served as an instrument in the physical implementation of the concept of ethnic partition.

This concept was first prescribed by Carrington and Cutileiro in 1992, and then adopted in all subsequent ‘peace plans’: Vance-Owen Plan in 1992, Owen-Stoltenberg Plan in 1993, the Washington Agreement in 1994, the Contact Group Plan in 1994, and the Dayton Agreement in 1995. Interestingly, the only concept that has been on the table in all these plans was the concept of Bosnia’s ethnic partition. No EU, UN, American or Contact Group initiatives have ever tried to consider any other option: Bosnia-Herzegovina’s ethnic partition has always been a must. Even those rare individuals who attempted to challenge the concept itself have even more rarely noticed that it had had a history that did not start in Dayton and that no alternative solution has ever been proposed.

Therefore, ethnic partition of Bosnia-Herzegovina was not a clumsy mistake made by Holbrooke and the Americans in Dayton; it has been a strategy adopted by the UN, the EU, and all relevant global powers, a strategy that has not been abandoned to the present day.   

A division of non-divisible, a transfer of non-transferable

This prolonged international consensus about the concept of Bosnia’s ethnic partition craves for identification of its authors and explanation of its broad acceptance among the most relevant global powers (which includes not only the EU and the UN, but also all individual members of the Contact Group: United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia). However, let us first take a look at the concept from a theoretical point of view. Political and constitutional theory claims that sovereignty is, above all, non-divisible and non-transferable.

What was being proposed as a ‘solution’ for Bosnia-Herzegovina, from Lisbon to Dayton, was exactly the opposite: a division of the state’s sovereignty, with a transfer of sovereignty to its three ethno-religious groups, so as to assign them parts of its territory over which they would gain sovereign control. Under these conditions, these groups have been labelled as ‘constituent peoples’ – a category otherwise non-existent in political and constitutional theory – as if they posses the primary sovereignty and thereby constitute the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina, whose sovereignty is a secondary one, derived from theirs and divided by implication.

According to the Dayton Constitution, even the last remnants of Bosnia’s divided sovereignty have eventually been transferred to the so-called Office of the High Representative, so that the High Representative has remained the only level at which sovereign decisions can be made. At all other levels, including the level of the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina, all decisions can be blocked by leaders of the three ethno-religious groups, which practically makes these leaders sovereign. Yet, the current High Representative has abandoned even these, very limited constitutional powers, so that in reality no sovereign decisions can be made above the level of ethno-religious leaders. In other words, as noticed by Mr. Schwarz, it is not their irrational nationalism that creates their blockages on the level of the state; it is the constitutional structure which deprives the state of its sovereignty.

The British ‘solution’  

Yet, who was powerful enough to reverse the universally valid constitutional principles, and why has this reversal been applied to Bosnia-Herzegovina, of all the countries in the world? After all, why this has encountered such approval by the most powerful global structures, such as the EU and the UN, as well as the most relevant individual powers, although the principles applied to Bosnia-Herzegovina are exactly the opposite from the principles upon which they are all built?

Given the presence of British diplomats in all ‘mediating’ combinations before and during the war in Bosnia, and given the fact that the concept of ethno-religious partition is a concept the British diplomacy had previously applied in the process of decolonization of India, with the consequent creation of India and Pakistan (including the secession of Bangladesh), and also in Palestine and Cyprus, one may only speculate why the British Foreign Office put the ethnic partition of Bosnia-Herzegovina among its geopolitical priorities.

In a broader perspective, it is certain that such partitions have never produced any degree of stability, as its advocates tend to claim; quite the contrary, all these parts of the world have become permanently unstable after application of the British ‘solution’ in the form of their ethnic or ethno-religious partition. Whether permanent instability along or around particular geopolitical points is one of the pillars of British geopolitics or not, remains to be more broadly explained by its historians; this is not a proper place for that. However, a more fundamental question is, why such a ‘solution’ applied to Bosnia has been acceptable to so many relevant global players, including the US, Germany and the entire EU? Probably we can never reach a clear and comprehensive answer to this question, either.

However, in this very context, a clear response is required to Chancellor Merkel’s recent claim that „Bosnia needs more empathy“: Bosnia does not need any degree of empathy – empathy is to be offered to the powerless. What Bosnia needs is that the global powers simply cease with application of double standards, and start applying to Bosnia the same principles, concepts and values they apply to themselves. Above all, that these powers give Bosnia back its innate right to sovereignty.    

About the author:

Dr. Zlatko Hadžidedić is the founder and director of the Center for Nationalism Studies, in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina (www.nationalismstudies.org).

Where is a Will – there is Brazil Society 2020, despite the Pandemics

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Photo by E. Dos Santos-Duisenberg : Labirinto de David, Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

By Edna dos Santos-Duisenberg 

After a century, the world population faced a new pandemic that fast spread globally, affecting individuals both physically and mentally. Covid-19 started in late 2019 in Asia, spreading so fast that despite the global connectivity and highly sophisticated information technology and communication systems, the interconnected society of the 21st century was incapable to fast react in order to avoid contagion and prevent the worst. Gradually, the pandemic is making a tour around the globe contaminating citizens even in rural communities from all continents. Worldwide, there have been 32 million confirmed cases with over 1 million deaths during the first 9 months of this year[1]. 

From this universal pandemic we learned that the interdependent globalized world of 2020 is connected but not synchronized – or as earlier in crisis, prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic well-noted ‘world on autopilot’[2]. All scientific, technological and digital knowledge accumulated over centuries remains inept to protect our civilization from an invisible virus that, ironically, can be eliminated with just soap and water.

Obviously, the magnitude and the economic, social and cultural impact of this pandemic took humanity by surprise. 

Society was already undergoing a deep process of transformation on all fronts. Debates were focused on the fragility of democracy, climate change and sustainability, inequality and inclusion, gender and race, social media and fake news, virtual payments and crypto currencies, artificial intelligence and blockchain. Science, knowledge and technology were advancing at a fast rate in all fields including genetics, neuroscience and biotechnology. Nevertheless, health-care was not a top priority for public investments or national budgets. Yet, with the eruption of the pandemic, priorities had to be immediately revisited.  A human-centred and inclusive approach became imperative in every corner of the planet. Incontestably, the 2020s is bringing irreversible disruptions.

Lockdown measures and social isolation deprived individuals of free movements, restricting social gatherings and citizen’s mobility. The home-office dismantled solid organizational structures of daily work conviviality. Closure of schools prevented children from accessing formal in-person education, creating a childcare crisis for working parents.  Crowded metropolis became empty urban centres, no shopping, no restaurants and no city life. Cultural festivities and spaces such as theatres, cinemas, and museums had their activities suspended leaving artists, cultural and creative professionals as well as street-vendors out of jobs. Parks and sportive centres became inactive and international tourism ceased. 

Conversely, family life became the heart of social order. Parents that were extremely busy with their jobs had to juggle between work and the education of their children. People became less egocentric and started showing more empathy with the needed ones. Solidarity has been manifested in donations and collective assistance by civil society. Companies engaged with social responsibility.  Artists, cultural and creative workers were defied to work even harder at home to find new niches in the virtual domain. The confined society had to rediscover its ethical values, principles and priorities. 

Free-time and leisure at present

Paradoxically, this shift in human behaviour brought us back to a theory of economics that emerged a century ago (Ruskin, 1900) “There is no wealth but life”. In this new-old context, free-time, leisure, well-being and culture are closely associated. Usually, we use our free-time to carry out activities that are not directly related to work, duties or domestic occupations.

May be free-time is an illusion because only in exceptional occasions our time is completely free.

Leisure, however, is a subjective concept which varies depending on the society which we belong. It is connected with our participation in cultural life, reflecting the values and characteristics of a nation. Thus, it can be considered a human right according to the UN Declaration of Human Rights (1948), and in particular the International Convention on the Economic, Social and Cultural rights (1967). 

Despite some divergent definitions of leisure there is convergence around three distinctions: (i) leisure as time; (ii) leisure as activity; and (iii) leisure as a state of mind. Firstly, it is defined as the constructive use of available time. Leisure as a variety of activities includes the practice of sports or actions related to intellectual and human development like reading, painting, gardening etc. and those can be leisure for ones and work for others.

Understanding leisure as a state of mind is complex since it depends on individual perceptions about concepts such as freedom, motivation, competency etc.

Certain skills can be considered leisure depending on the degree of satisfaction, emotion or happiness it causes. Yet, the most important is the possibility of free will. 

Time available for leisure also varies according to cultural, social and even climate considerations. The notion of time can be different in Africa, Asia, Latin America or Europe. Usually people who live in areas of hot climate enjoy outdoor activities and sports while Nordic people whose habitat is in cold weather prefer indoors socialization and hobbies like playing chess, classic music etc. Social leisure embraces communitarian happenings such as going to the beach, practicing sports in a club etc. Behavioural studies indicate the benefits of social leisure for the well-being of individuals, self-esteem and cultural identity[3]. 

Moments of leisure are essential in all phases of our life. During childhood and adolescence most of our time is devoted to study and sports while at adulthood our time is mostly consumed with work and family. Indeed, it is at senior age that retired people generally have extra free-time to enjoy cultural events, leisure and tourism.  Globally people are living longer and a new age structure is taking shape: the young senior (65-74 years), the middle senior (75-84 years) and the older senior as from 85 years old. According to the United Nations,[4] in 2018 for the first time in history, persons aged 65 years or over outnumbered children under age five. This partially explains the vast number of people in the group of risk requiring quarantine protection throughout the pandemic period.

Well-being and spirituality in pandemic times

  • Photo by E. Dos Santos-Duisenberg : Pirâmide Sinética, Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Photo by E. Dos Santos-Duisenberg : Pirâmide Sinética, Búzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

During the pandemic, reflections about well-being and spirituality gained space in our minds. It is undeniable that the constraints brought about by lock-down measures and social distancing, offered us more free-time but very limited leisure options. We gained additional time to be closer to loved ones and to do things we like most at home. Enjoying family life, including eating and even cooking together became a shared pleasure and a new leisure style. Individuals had to optimize the quality of their temporarily sedentary lives.   

Global pandemics affect our collective mental health. Given the prevailing health and economic insecurity, the focus of our attention has been on well-being, strengthening friendships, expanding social network, practicing solidarity, improving self-esteem as well as reflecting on spirituality and religion. Suddenly the exuberant society of 2020 is afraid of the unknown virus and its long-term harmful consequences on day-to-day life. Well-being and happiness became the essence of achievable goals.

People are emotionally fragile in this moment of anxiety. Individuals are suffering losses that will persist long after the pandemic will be over.  Some feel stressed or depressed while others react by searching for relief in exercising, relaxation, meditation, yoga or mindfulness training.  Individuals are finding new ways to overcome solitude and boost mental resilience. Current philosophical thinking (Harari, 2018) is reminding us that homo sapiens have bodies but technology is distancing us from our bodies[5]. 

Inspirational talks in likeminded groups have been helpful for reconnecting people dealing with an uncertain future. Social engagement and advocacy for health causes are used for promoting social change. Thus, besides upgrading healthcare systems and putting in place special measures for accelerating economic and cultural recovery, targeted governmental support will be needed to improve mental well-being and raise the overall level of satisfaction and happiness of citizens in the post-crisis.

Culture and e-learning nowadays

In a short period of time, many went from an exciting social and cultural lifestyle to a simple life. People had to assume the role of protagonists of their actions. Due to open-air limitations, free-time activities had to be less physically-intensive (no bike, tennis, jogging etc.), and more creative-oriented such as designing, playing music, writing. Much time has also been spent watching TV series, surfing the internet, viewing live music concerts, video-gaming, attending video-conferences as well as socializing in virtual chats. Equally, there are growing concerns about the ethics of consumer technology and internet addiction “time well spent” (Tristan, 2015)[6]. 

 A recent study[7] carried out in the UK to track digital cultural consumption during the pandemic, indicates that the median time spent daily watching TV are 4 hours, while listening to music, watching films and playing video games each day are 3 hours respectively. Understanding human behaviour, in particular youth habits can help to indicate new cultural trends and consolidate social cohesion in post-pandemic times. Moreover, policy-makers could consider engaging cultural institutions and employing artists and creatives to help facilitate a collective healing process and kick-start recovery.

It is widely recognized that the arts, culture and creative sectors were hit hard by the pandemic. Whist digital cultural and creative products for home consumption were in high demand, others tangible creative goods like arts, crafts, fashion and design products sharply contracted. Many artists and creatives had no option than to experiment on work in digital spaces, since they had to go global from home. 

Despite the fact that 4.5 billion people (60% the global population) use internet[8], the availability of affordable broadband access is a pre-condition to use and benefit from the opportunities provided by digital tools. This applies to both producers and consumers of cultural and creative digital content. Currently, videos account for 80-90% of global digital data circulation, but at the same time Latin America, the Middle East and Africa together represent only around 10% of world data traffic[9]. This evidence points to digital asymmetries that are being aggravated.

Creativity only is not enough to transform ideas into marketable creative goods or services if digital tools and infrastructure will not be available. 

The pandemic also had a strong impact on education and learning.  Re-thinking education was already a topic on the agenda of many countries in order to respond to the realities of the jobs market in the 2020s.  Besides the need to adapt methodology and pedagogical practices, many believe it is necessary to bring an interdisciplinary and applied approach to curricula with focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)[10], preferably also integrating arts (STEAM). In any case, the education system has been forced to quickly adjust to remote learning. Globally over 1.2 billion children are out of the classroom in 186 countries[11]. In Latin America schools are closed and around 154 million children between the ages of 5 and 18 are at home instead of in class[12]. Furthermore, access to school-related inputs is distributed in an unbalanced manner; wealthier students have access to internet and home-schooling while the poorer have not. Young people are losing months of learning and this will have long-lasting effects. The loss for human capital is enormous.

On the positive side, continuous e-learning became a trend and a necessity.  Innovation and digital adaption gave rise to a wide-range of on-line courses. Millions of learners are upgrading their knowledge and skills in different domains through distance learning, whether through language and music apps, video conferences or software learning.  Some are free others have to be paid for, but what is absolutely transformative is that access to knowledge became more democratic.  Independently of age or field of interest, learners from different parts of the world can have access to prestigious universities or practical training.  E-learning, where teaching is undertaken remotely and on digital platforms already existed, but demand has sharply increased during pandemic and this might be a point of no return. 

Over these critical 9 months, there are growing signs that the 2020s will face a new set of challenges and life will not be back as usual. The future will be very different when compared to the recent past.  Hope and fear are likely to co-exist for a certain time. There are new values, new lifestyles, new social behaviour, new consumption standards, and new ways of working and studying.  The pandemic has imposed a deep ethical and moral re-assessment on society. This turning point is leading to a deep socio-economic renovation and hopefully to a more inclusive and sustainable society.

About the author:

Edna dos Santos-Duisenberg

Edna dos Santos-Duisenberg is an economist renowned for her pioneering work in research and international policies on creative economy and its development dimension.  She set-up and leaded the UNCTAD Creative Economy Program launching the UN Creative Economy Reports (2008 and 2010). Advisor associated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Member of the International Council of the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC, London) led by NESTA (UK National Endowment for Science, Technology and Arts).  She also serves as Vice President of the International Federation of Internet and Multimedia (FIAM, Montreal). Advises governments and international institutions and collaborates with universities in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the United States.  

__________________________________________________________

[1] https://covid19.who.int/

[2] https://www.diplomatic-press.net/ueber-uns/geschichte.html

[3] E. Dos Santos-Duisenberg (2013) – Tempo livre, lazer e economia criativa, Revista Inteligência Empresarial (37), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil http://www.epapers.com.br/produtos.asp?codigo_produto=2455

[4]  https://www.un.org/development/desa/publications/world-population-prospects-2019-highlights.html

[5] https://www.ynharari.com/book/21-lessons-book/

[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Humane_Technology

[7] https://pec.ac.uk/policy-briefings/digital-culture-consumer-panel

[8] https://internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

[9] https://unctad.org/en/pages/PublicationWebflyer.aspx?publicationid=2466

[10] https://www.livescience.com/43296-what-is-stem-education.html

[11] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/coronavirus-education-global-covid19-online-digital-learning/

[12] https://blogs.iadb.org/ideas-matter/en/pandemic-and-inequality-how-much-human-capital-is-lost-when-schools-close/

Kenya: A Journey of Heroes

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By Nur Hani Laily Ramli.   

Once upon a time, Kenya is a land of the bewildered, stories of legendary fables and myths engulfed the peoples with tales of spirituality and the divine. Most often, tales of heroes triumphant in battles riddled Kenyan kids’ bedtime stories. The heroes of old served as role model for the many warrior tribes in Kenya. But as the modern age emerge, and as the tribes of Kenya lead the modern living, the mystic tales of heroes of old and their adventures were quietly forgotten. But the heroes of Kenya lives on, their stories now told humbly still radiate inspiration and admiration, and this is their story. This is the side of Kenya which needs to be shared with the world.

The world was shocked when a rural Kenyan teacher won the Global Teacher Prize, beating all odds. The shockwave hit Kenyan newspapers like wildfire. In the streets, his name was the talk of town. Remarkably, Peter Tabichi came from a humble beginning, leading a very humble life in the countryside of Kenya. As he puts his heart out towards his passion for teaching, he puts duty over self, as he imparts knowledge in a difficult environment. And believe me, the trials he went through to be Kenya’s modern hero is indeed impressive. Teaching in a rural school in Kenya is a feat not meant for the weak heart. His duty as a teacher transcends teaching at school, as he also reached out to the local community, who were plagued with continuous famine and drought, and ultimately assisted in solving tribal violence afflicting the society. His story is worthy to be told like heroes of old, as a modern hero of Kenya. 

  • Nur Hani Laily Ramli.

Women have always been the backbone of development in Kenya. Always at the forefront of entrepreneurship, Kenyan women lead their communities in private enterprises with the one aim to earn a living. Most of the time, single mothers work informal jobs to make ends meet, as living standards are at the bare minimum in Kenya. At times of hardships, creative solutions turn the very best mothers into business owners, turning raw materials into beautiful crafts which adds value not only to the business, but personally as well. The women heroes of Kenya set up small and medium enterprises, and in turn help other ladies in the community who share the same fate. There have been plenty of success stories in Kenya, and Kazuri Beads Factory in Nairobi is just one of them. Women in Kenya are indeed the deserved heroes the country needs. 

Ergo, these stories are two tiny illustrations in a sea of heroic stories in modern Kenya. Apropos the stories of heroes of old, these modern heroic stories needs to be told in repeat, so as the next generation knows that heroes are born, they are made, through hardships, through perseverance, and through sacrifices. Heroism is a state of mind, as everyone can be a hero. 

Covid-19 and the migrant crisis in Europe

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By Eugene Matos De Lara and Audrey Beaulieu.

The EU’s bureaucracy has been unceasingly placed on a reactionary mode while coordinating fragments of the migrant crisis yet still spilling over the COVID-19 pandemic. To deal with the collision of crises, the EU is orchestrating risk management teams, preparing contingencies, and recovery plans. Although the European Commission has declared the migration crisis was over in 2019, it seems that circumstances revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic have rekindled some issues.

The number of asylum seekers, risking their lives travelling through the sea, arriving on the coasts of Mediterranean countries, such as Greece and Italy, has doubled since 2019. Today’s migrant situation might bring us back to face the same questions and issues the EU authorities had during the peak refugee crisis. Nonetheless, the problem today is different and will require distinct solutions. Consequently, it is imperative to put the focus back on the migrant situation to consider the possible prospects for Europe and its migrants.

More than 13 000 migrants have tried to cross European borders since the beginning of the quarantine; the situation is challenging riparian countries’ national security, immigration, and health agencies. The number of suicide attempts is getting higher every day and camps are declared overcrowded, facilitating the transmission of the virus between migrants and making self-isolation impossible. In a single day, a camp located in Italy has noted some 129 positive cases between its members. Moreover, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has underlined an increase of migrant smuggling due to the aggravated socio-economic impact of Covid-19 on countries that were already stuck with human rights abuses, conflict and poverty problems before the crisis.

Migratory routes to Europe have shown precise and almost definitive patterns that can help us refocus our migratory policy aim. For example, most EU refugees use the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern African route, both which have grown ever-crowded since the outbreak of war in Syria, and conflicts in South Sudan, and Congo. Indeed almost 90% of these refugees come from either Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Gambia, and Bangladesh, and use these popular migratory routes that bottleneck in Greece, and Italy. The specificity of the route highlights the occasion for the EU Foreign Council during their meetings to inform and engage with foreign ministers of non-members states that are located on migratory paths, and target key communities that receive refugees.

Today actions have been initiated to manage the crisis. Among them, the EU is planning on increasing financial resources, extending operation’s areas in the Mediterranean and being more proactive concerning the interruption of smugglers’ vessels. Furthermore, institutions such as Europol, Frontex, EASO and Eurojust are projecting regular meetings to tackle smugglers’ networks. Finally, some mechanisms regarding the enhancement of asylum applications, emergency relocation and the whole process’s efficiency have been discussed.

Without a doubt, there is a need for successful social and economic policy building to deal with this collision of crises in the EU, demanding strategic collaboration, to monitor and assess public endeavours and initiatives surrounding the 2020 migration situation. Inter EU organization cooperation today is therefore essential to successfully manage the transcontinental issue today involving today’s migration crisis within the COVID-19 umbrella.

Lessons learned from southern coastal EU states have frequently shown how the empowerment of target communities, municipalities and provincial offices dealing with the migration crisis first hand can help in the implementation of policies. Through local investment and collective public action, the EU has decentralized how it goes about migration management and partners with several public agencies to improve refugee management.

About the authors:

Besides their current studies at the University of Ottawa Law faculty, as well as the Global Studies and International Development faculty, both authors do research with the Geneva Desk for Cooperation and work as legal and geo political analysts with the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies in Vienna. 

Audrey Beaulieu.

Beaulieu, is well versed and continuously collaborating in several projects relevant to public and private International law, international development and global politics with IFIMES and GDCOO.

Eugene Matos De Lara

Matos De Lara, is a former litigation manager and legal researcher at United Tech Corporation, and the International Water Association. Currently senior member of the International Public Diplomacy Council and serves as a Canadian Armour Officer. He holds a degree in Political Science, Public Administration, law, Public Policy and Diplomacy.

This article has been published by Geneva Desk for Cooperation – October 2020.

Did you say the United Nations? How would a world without the UN be

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Did you say the United Nations? How would a world without the UN be

By Mariarosaria Iorio.

In these controversial contemporary times, the United Nations (UN) and its agencies are at best sidelined, at worst ignored.  The most recent case of sidelining relates to the Corona virus epidemic, which had been announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and had been ignored by political leaders already end of 2019. 

Since the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, the UN is considered as being under perfusion as it has lost its political pertinence.  There are UN agencies whose existence is ignored by citizens, there are programmes that appear to be irrelevant to observers, there are staff that appear to be too expensive for what they produce.   

The most recent symbolic political examples of the world crisis are: the contribution withdrawal of the United States to the WHO, the resignation of the Director General of the WTO before the end of its mandate (the WTO is not part of the UN but its deadlock is part of the reasoning that applies to the UN) and the stillmate of the negotiations on the European Recovery Fund. 

Such a trend can be summarized as follows: disbelief in multilateralism in general, and the growth of nation-based interests, in particular.  Indeed, the United Nations are commonly critized for their lack of pertinence, lack of impact, lack of cost-efficiency and lack of justice.  

It is a pespective that can be understood, when looked at from the average citizen lens.  Hearing comments by citizens, while defending the need for the UN to exist I have often found myself imagining how would the world be without the UN.   How would the world be if one day we woke up without any UN Headquarters in Geneva and in New York,  and without any UN agency in the world. 

The first immediate result would be that all international staff would have to either go back to their own countries, or look for jobs in other sectors (not a very probable option) in what used to be host countries.   As of local staff in host countries, they would have to also look for relatively less well paid jobs in their own countries.   

The buildings of the UN in Geneva and New York would probably become either museums, as for exemple the building at the Place des Nations in Geneva. Other less historical buldings would be rent to multinationals business.  Some buldings would remain empty for a while.  

People would remind themselves of how it « used to be » when the UN still existed, and of the time when tourists used to come from all over the world to visit the Place des Nations, and its « broken chair ».   The Geneva and New York international bubble would puff and suddenly disappear, with an immediate effect of lowering rents and appartments becoming suddenly affordable.   

International revenue derived from international burocrats for the respective host countries would disappear.  Host countries countries would look for other sources of revenue.  Maybe, new businesses would be encouraged to come in.  

No more UN meetings with politicians and experts coming from all over the world to echange views and  perspectives.  As a result, no more international negotiated texts and Treaties.  Only the once already into force would be kept.  No need to update or to reformulate texts and governments commitments.  After a few weeks of distress being expressed by diplomats and experts, life would go back to its rights and debates and comments on how the « disapperance could have been avoided » would decrease as time went by.  

Countries would then look inwards, and restart building their own production systems and international relatiolns according to national priorities only.  In sum, the world would not be as ONE but a rather fragmented and MULTIPLE world. It is the contemporary trend: fragmentation and inward-looking. Political leaders would jubilate of their refound freedom to make national choices without having to negotiate with any other country. 

What a relief!  At least at first.

So the United States would finally be on its own, not having to pay its contributions to any UN Organisations.  China would go back to produce for its own population. The European Union would be on its own, if not fragmented and imploded itself in the meanwhile. International aid programmes would also be stopped.  

The United Nations being one of the multilateral implementation tool of international cooperation programmes, once shut down developing countries would have to go on their own development policies as well.  No  more « external influence »  processed through cooperation projects.  This is what many observers had wished for years.  Imagine finishing the programmes under way, but no new programmes in the pipeline. A dream for the anti-development cooperation voices. 

Then, the day after we would have to think about the next steps. Every country would finally be in charge of its own policies. Its own labour, economic, environment and industrial policies.  

What would happen to International Treaties ? 

In our fiction pushed to its extreme, Treaties would be put on hold and only existing legislation would be taken into account for nations, which would also be based on before-the-en signed international Treaties. In sum, the world without the UN would be a world of nations on their own, with less dialogue and less international Treaties. 

What would that mean with regard to world peace-keeping ? 

Hopefully, each country would keep peaceful relations with other nations. Conflicts would have to be solved between concerned parties.  This would apply also to invasion of small by stronger countries. No more blue helmets, no more Security Council meetings. No more Human Rights Commitee meetings. The surveillance violation of human rights would also stay at nations level. In fact, this scenario would be the scenario of 1919 when the Ligue of Nations was set-up. 

The world of the first world war was already a world without the UN (created in 1945 after the failure of the Ligue of Nations and a series of previous aborted attempts).  It was a world of nations states. We could go back to that world: fragmented and violent. The Ligue of Nations (1919) was replaced by the UN (1949) to ensure security, peace and stability. 

We could go back to a world without the UN, and take the risk of moving towards a world that would be more unstable, unsure and conflictual, if not in war. Not an unprobable circumstance in light of the increasing tensions and the lack of international solidarity.  The COVID 19 has been a clear exemple of what a chaotic management of worldwide public health issues can be like.  A great number of deaths caused by a disorganised management of frontiers, weakened national hospitals, and no international sanitary policy. World health is indeed a piece of the peace puzzle.  

Breaking down the dialogue among nations based on a purely economic calculation remains an extremely risky choice.  The existence of multilateral organisations is to be definetely adapted to a changing world.  Indeed,  the UN is not perfect.  

And yes, there is a large margin for restructing and change, namely by refocusing mandates of its agencies and by probably shutting down a number of programmes that are no longer relevant (in the part II of this analysis I will take agencies one by one to highlight what in my view shall change to make the agencies more relevant).   

However, a world without multilateral fora such as the UN remains a world of instability, and of unbalanced power relations. One century ago nations had been unable to stay engaged in peace. The marginalisation of multilateral fora such as the United Nations are the symptom of a danger: that is a multipolar world based on a pragmagmatic and self-interested foreign policy.  This framework combined to the weakening of the United Nations is only a major danger for world peace !

About the author:

Mariarosaria Iorio

Mariarosaria Iorio is a political analyst, passionate of international relations and African politics.   Her professional experience in international relations and multilateral negotiations as an insider gives her a « hands-on » approach.   

She started at the International Labour Office, and pursued her passion in The World Trade Organization (WTO),  civil society and University.    Her book on Global Governance Trade and the Crisis in Europe contains her reflection on the Global Governance, the Crisis in Europe and international trade.  The book can be ordered from several websites, www.fnac.fr, www.amazon.com, www.feltrinelli.it. Her other articles are available  on her linkedIn profile, where she can be contacted for further information/collaboration.   

Diplomacy with grace

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Diplomacy with grace

By Alexandra Paucescu.

I remember like it was yesterday…she introduced herself to me warmly, while both her position and experience were overwhelmingly greater than mine. She later confessed that she often finds that if others know who her spouse is, they assume she will be unapproachable and only interact with people of a certain social status. 

‘I fully support my spouse’s work and am conscious of the benefits I enjoy as a result of it, but I do not define myself by it, nor do I use it as currency in my daily life. I live by The Golden Rule: treat others as you would have them treat you! Remember what it was like when you were a beginner and remain grounded.

I don’t openly announce my diplomatic affiliations. This allows me to gauge reliably how people react to me, as opposed to my role.  As in other things in life, I feel that actions speak much louder than words and it is only in our deeds that we can adjust or change any misconceptions. Moving up the ranks, you should not confuse the attention that you receive due to your role with genuine interest in your person, as one does not necessarily follow the other.’

Indeed, Gladys Abankwa- Meier-Klodt is a woman that wins your admiration right away, no need for titles or special status. Her graceful attitude speaks by itself and recommends this captivating woman to the world. She has an Oscar-winning life story, the brilliant intelligence that not many have and the modesty that only great characters possess.

Raised in the USA, Canada and home country of Ghana by two career-diplomats, hers was a fairly gender-neutral home, where tasks were divided according to inclination or availability rather than by tradition. 

She is thankful to her parents for offering the stability of a close nuclear family despite the changing homes, classmates and environment that living a nomadic diplomatic life meant.

‘It was drummed into me from a very early age that I was representing myself, my family and my country when I was in public, and so to make my life easier, my private and public personas quickly melted into one’.

After university and grad school in Canada (she started university just after turning 16!), she met her German husband – at a diplomatic reception, where else? –  and has accompanied him for over 30 years on postings to Russia, the USA, UK, India and Romania, but she says she is still happiest at home. ‘Home is an amalgam of things, a place where my family or belongings are gathered; the effortlessness of communing with other third culture individuals who share much of my life experience and world view; the familiarity of a language, scents, celebrations, a routine.’

What does she appreciate most about this kind of life?…She confesses that she has been eager to explore and learn about the world for as long as she can remember and, as a member of the diplomatic community, she has gained the deeper insights into the culture of various countries that a high calibre of contact and interaction with the host nation offers. 

‘Of course, if you travel to confirm your prejudices rather than to discover what lies beyond them, your experience will be different. I approach each posting with an open mind and a willingness to learn, especially languages. Language is an invaluable portal to cultural awareness. If you get to know people from your host country, you’ll quickly find that stereotypes paint only part of the picture and have limited usefulness once you get past culture shock. Outward displays of insensitivity to the feelings and culture of others should always be avoided, not only in diplomatic life!’

Her advice? ‘Choose your counselors wisely. Select people whom you have reason to respect, because the information you receive will tell you just as much about the person who is offering it, as anything else.’ 

Her struggles? ‘I have found it most challenging to maintain meaningful relationships with the people I have met over the years in different countries, but I put a great deal of effort into trying to do so.’

She studied microbiology and immunology, conducting research into the biological control of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes, but it wasn’t long before incompatibilities with a mobile family lifestyle led her to begin indulging her creativity and other interests. 

‘I particularly relish the opportunity to reinvent myself that the 3-year rotation period has offered me: microbiologist, interior designer, speechwriter, journalist/author, English teacher, translator, project manager and intercultural trainer…who knows what my next incarnation will be…’

Her passion and talent for writing were obvious from an early age. Her articles have appeared in scientific journals, magazines and newspapers; she has also collaborated on and co-edited two cookbooks.

‘My first solo book was a family history, ‘Celebrating a Centenarian’, written to mark my grandmother’s 100th birthday.  Gathering and analysing data are second nature to me and those skills also came in handy for ‘Delhi’s Diplomatic Domains – Residences and Chanceries of Chanakyapuri and Imperial New Delhi’. It chronicles the establishment of the Indian capital’s unique diplomatic enclave.

When I arrived in India, I was struck by the emblematic exclusivity of Delhi’s diplomatic quarter, and on discovering that there was no literature in the public domain that examined its development in a comprehensive manner, my mission was born! The stars aligned perfectly because I had not only the perspective of a member of the diplomatic community but also the unique access to information and the properties, as well as the research, writing and design experience required to bring it all together.

I was extremely fortunate to meet an Indian photographer who allowed me to direct his work and capture the stunning images presented and then, to attract the interest of no less than three publishers. In the end, a book emerged that was truly mine, from the words and image selection to the layout of every single page. I have personally presented copies of the book to a German President, a former German Chancellor and to the Custodian of the Romanian Crown.’ This was one of her proudest professional achievements. 

Another was SMOOTH Moves, the workshops she initiated, conceived and implemented for the German Federal Foreign Office (2001-2012), to prepare Foreign Service families for expatriation and repatriation. ‘SMOOTH is an acronym for Self-confidence, Motivation, Organization, Orientation, Tolerance and (a personal definition of) Home, all of which were components of the program.’ 

Just by reading these lines about her fascinating life and achievements, anyone can realize the complexity and qualities of this interesting and graceful woman, who I am deeply grateful I had the opportunity to meet. 

I remember she once told me that her husband often says: ‘Whenever we arrive at a new posting, at first, she is my wife, but when we leave I am her husband’. Beautiful words, spoken by a partner who knows for sure the value of the woman next to him and is proud of her!

About the author:

Alexandra Paucescu

Alexandra Paucescu- Romanian, Management graduate with a Master in Business,  studied Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations.

She speaks Romanian,  English,  French,  German and Italian. Turned diplomatic spouse by the age of 30, she published a book about diplomatic life, writes articles and also gives lectures on intercultural communication.

Dr. Hussein Mwinyi wins in Zanzibar

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Dr. Hussein Mwinyi wins in Zanzibar
Thursday, 29 October 2020, Republic of Zanzibar, United Republic of
Tanzania: Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) was announced the winner of the presidential elections, and became the eight head of state of the autonomous Republic of Zanzibar, and third highest office holder within the United Republic of Tanzania.

Hitherto Dr. Mwainyi (born 1966) had served as MP for the Kwahani constituency since 2005, concurrent with a federal portfolio as Minister of Defence and National Service of Tanzania. He is a son of the island’s third president, Ali Hassan Mwinyi (b. 1925) who served for little over a year between 1984 and 1985 as president of Zanzibar.

The Rais wa Zanzibar (President of Zanzibar) is the head of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, which is a semi-autonomous government within Tanzania. Presidential terms are for five years, and a candidate may be re- elected only once. The office is voted in through plurality voting. He appoints the members of the Zanzibar Cabinet with the approval of the House of Representatives.

Zanzibar became the People’s Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba in January 1964 after a revolt ousted the eleventh insular monarch, HM Sultan Jamshid bin Abdallah Al Said. By April 1964 Zanzibar united with Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania.

For further information
President Hussein Mwinyi: https://husseinmwinyi.com
Presidency of Zanzibar: http://www.ikuluzanzibar.go.tz/en

Picture from Wikipedia.

Dr. Hussein Mwinyi wins in Zanzibar

Diplomat Magazine
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Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi – Picture by Zanzibar Electorial Commission, The Citizen.

Thursday, 29 October 2020, Republic of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania: Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi  from the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) was announced the winner of the presidential elections, and became the eight head of state of the autonomous republic of Zanzibar, and third highest office holder within the United Republic of Tanzania. 

Hitherto Dr. Mwainyi (born 1966) had served as MP for the Kwahani constituency since 2005, concurrent with a federal portfolio as Minister of Defence and National Service of Tanzania. He is a son of the island’s third president, Ali Hassan Mwinyi (b. 1925) who served for little over a year between 1984 and 1985 as president of Zanzibar. 

The Rais wa Zanzibar (President of Zanzibar)is the head of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, which is a semi-autonomous government within Tanzania. Presidential terms are for five years, and a candidate may be re-elected only once. The office is voted in through plurality voting. He appoints the members of the Zanzibar Cabinet with the approval of the House of Representatives. 

Zanzibar became the People’s Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba in January 1964 after a revolt ousted the eleventh insular monarch, HM Sultan Jamshid bin Abdallah Al Said. By April 1964 Zanzibar united with Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanzania. 

For further information 
President Hussein Mwinyi: https://husseinmwinyi.com

Presidency of Zanzibar: http://www.ikuluzanzibar.go.tz/en

Croatian envoy Bakota in trip to Saxony-Anhalt

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Dr. Gordan Bakota and Dr. Reiner Haseloff – Picture by Stk, Ines Berger.

Wednesday, 21 October 2020, Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany:  Premier Dr. Reiner Haseloff received H.E. Dr. Gordan Bakota, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia, in the State Chancellery for his inaugural visit.

In addition to a lively exchange on bilateral cooperation between the two countries, the talks focused on current issues such as the acute challenges of the Sars-CoV2 pandemic. Also with a view to Magdeburg’s application to become European Capital of Culture 2025, the discussion partners were able to exchange experiences in Croatia: Under the motto “Port of Diversity”, Rijeka, the second largest city in the South-East European state, is this year’s capital of culture. 

In June, Croatia handed over the baton of the EU Council Presidency to Germany as the first country of the new presidency trio (Germany-Portugal-Slovenia). Croatia held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2020 for the first time since its accession to the EU in 2013.

Bilateral relations are close in economic and scientific terms: in 2019 goods worth around 57.3 million euros were exported to Croatia from Saxony-Anhalt. Similarly, imports reached a new high of around 49.9 million euros.

Within the framework of European Territorial Cooperation, Saxony-Anhalt and Croatia have been working together in the INTERREG Central Europe project “DelFin” since 2019 in the field of promoting social entrepreneurship in rural regions with special transformation problems. Croatia is a pioneer in this field and has already developed and formulated its own national strategy.

In the field of higher education, both the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (in the fields of ethnology and Slavic studies) and the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (Faculty of Human Sciences) maintain cooperation with the University of Zagreb. There are also contacts between the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and the Algebra University College in Zagreb.

During his stay in Saxony-Anhalt, Ambassador Gordan was also received by the President of the State Assembly, Gabriele Brakebusch.

For further information 
Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Germany: http://de.mvep.hr/hr/vijesti-i-najave/veleposlanik-gordan-bakota-u-posjetu-pokrajini-saska-anhalt,62550.html

Government of Saxe-Anhalt: https://europa.sachsen-anhalt.de/internationales/aktuelles-international-2020/botschafter-der-republik-kroatien-zum-antrittsbesuch-in-der-staatskanzlei/

Serbia’s Ambassador Snežana Janković met Dr. Herrmann

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Dr. Snežana Janković & Dr. Florian Herrmann – Picture by Bayerische Staatskanzlei, bayern.de.

Friday, 30 October 2020, Munich, Free State of Bavaria, Germany:  Bavaria’s State Minister Dr. Florian Herrmann, Head of the State Chancellery and Minister of State for Federal and European Affairs and Media received at the State Chancellery the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia, Dr. Snežana Janković, during her maiden visit to the southern German state. 

Bavaria monitors Serbia’s political and economic reform course very closely, for one day they may lead to Serbian membership into the European Union.  

Ambassador Dr. Snežana Janković (b. 1970) serves as her homeland’s ambassador to Germany since 24 October 2019. He holds a doctorate in Philosophy from Senshu University in Japan, and speaks fluent Serbian, English, German and Japanese. 

For further information Serbian Embassy in Germany: http://berlin.mfa.gov.rs/lat/

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