PassBlue UN Podcasts
PassBlue UN Podcasts accompanies PassBlue, an independent, women-led digital publication founded in 2011 that reports on the United States-UN relationship. Drawing on its base in the UN press corps, the show covers women's issues, human rights, peacekeeping and other urgent global matters. Episodes feature in-depth journalism and interviews with diplomats, officials and experts. PassBlue is not financially or otherwise tied to the United Nations, which allows for critical, independent coverage.
Episodes
A ‘Just Transition’ for Two Market Stalls in Nigeria
As I covered a recent Climate Action and Just Transition Panel, held during the UN General Assembly high-level week and organized by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Global Development Forum with Foreign Policy, I kept wondering what the conversation would sound like at the storefront of a small-business owner who receives little or no support from his or her government. This is what
UN General Assembly: Reform, Rivalries and Trump's Shadow
It’s that time of year again when world leaders descend on New York for the United Nations’ annual General Assembly. In this special podcast episode, Dulcie Leimbach, editor-in-chief of PassBlue, and Paula Dupraz-Dobias, journalist at Geneva Solutions, sit down to discuss some of the critical issues at stake for the multilateral organization.
An ‘Extended Opera’: Women’s Voices in the UN General Assembly Debate
Our new audio podcast “Women’s Voices from the United Nations” features excerpts from five speeches by world leaders who spoke at last year’s UN general debate. The voices we’re highlighting are – in order of their “appearance” -- Mia Amor Mottley, prime minister of Barbados; Theresa Lazaro, foreign affairs minister of the Philippines; Thorgerdur Katrín Gunnarsdottir, foreign affairs minister of I
The Portrait of Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh, Gambia’s former leader, ruled the tiny West African country with an iron fist for 22 years after seizing power in a 1994 military coup. His regime was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances, torture and extrajudicial killings. Despite being voted out in 2016 and soon exiled to Equatorial Guinea after refusing to accept the election results, his le
September: Slovenia Wants the Council to Figure Out How It Can Get Along
Samuel Zbogar, ambassador of Slovenia to the UN, leads the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month. In an interview, he tells PassBlue that his country will use its signature debate, on Sept. 25, to ask Council members to reflect on how their countries can work more for peace rather than war. A daunting challenge, he admits.
The country is back in the Council for the first time si
August: Sierra Leone Hopes to Rectify African Historical Injustice
Dr. Michael Imran Kanu, Sierra Leone's envoy to the UN, says his country's presidency of the Security Council this August will focus on Council reform and making the case for a permanent seat for the African continent.
Tweet at us @pass_blue
GC tv link: www.globalconnectionstelevision.com/
July: 'We Didn't Start That War' - Russia Still Twists the Truth About Ukraine
As UN Security Council rotating president for July, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia says that the West is using the "Kyiv regime" as "puppets" to fight the war in Ukraine and that there will be "certain political consequences" for doing so.
Nebenzia was speaking to the media on July 1 as he detailed his country's agenda in the Council for the next four weeks. Besides the topic of Ukraine, he
June: South Korea Thinks the World Should Wake Up More to Threats of Cybersecurity
Joonkook Hwang, the ambassador of South Korea to the UN, says his country will highlight the threats of cyberspace to global peace and security. This is a new topic for the Security Council agenda, so why does it matter to the East Asian nation?
Find out in this month's episode of UNSCripted.
Tweet at us @pass_blue
GC tv link: www.globalconnectionstelevision.com/
Interview with Hala Rharrit, Why She Left the State Dept.
Welcome to a special episode of PassBlue podcast series UNSCripted. I’m Jessica Le Masurier, and I’m joined by Hala Rharrit, the Arabic language spokesperson for the Mideast-North Africa region for the United States State Department who recently resigned in protest over US policy on the war in Gaza. (The text part of the interview has been edited for clarity.)
May: For Mozambique, The UN Security Council is Imperfect
Mozambique's permanent representative to the Security Council, Pedro Comissário, says that vetoes, divergent priorities and other imperfections can severely limit the productive work of the UN's crucial peacemaking body. On this episode of UNScripted, we find out what Comissário plans to do as rotating president in May, despite these challenges, such as reinforcing international law on protecting
April: For Malta, a Ceasefire in Gaza Is the Beginning of Everything
Vanessa Frazier, Malta’s envoy to the UN, explains why the new Ramadan ceasefire isn't holding in Gaza and says that her country is counting on the ICC to hurry up its inquiry into whether war crimes are being carried out in the enclave.
GC tv link: www.globalconnectionstelevision.com/
March: Japan Says the UN Security Council Is Struggling Every Day
Japan's dual focus for its UN Security Council presidency – preventing conflicts as well as nuclear disarmament – align with its foreign policy and history of nuclear disasters but as it leads the Council for this month, Ambassador Yamazaki says the Security Council is struggling with its main job of building peace and preventing violent disputes.
Seton Hull link: www.shu.edu/diplomacy/visiting.h
Act of Creation - A Question of Faith
The UN CHARTER: A Question of Faith
“The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
SAN FRANCISCO -- Our third and final episode of the podcast series “Act of Creation” is ready for your ears. It’s a fitting end to a great journey. Episode 1 looks at the years leading up to the famous San Francisco Conference of 1945, when the Charter was signed and the United Nations was b
February: Guyana Is Not Giving Up on a Ceasefire in Gaza
Guyana may not not want a permanent seat in the UN Security Council but it definitely wants a ceasefire in Gaza "as soon as possible." As rotating president for February, the country's ambassador to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, tells PassBlue that another top priority for the month is impressing on the world how climate change affects food security and, ultimately, global peace. She also tou
January: Palestine's Desire for Statehood Can't Be Ignored, France Says
France, a permanent member of the Security Council, is president of the body in January. Ambassador Nicolas de de Rivière says his country will headline Gaza this month, where the number of civilian casualties incurred by Israel's "broad and massive military operation" is "way way too high."
Tweet at us @pass_blue
Seton Hull link: www.shu.edu/diplomacy/visiting.html
GC tv link: www.globalconnect
December: Ecuador Aims to Keep Mum on Gaza, but It'll Be Hard to Avoid
As Ecuador’ assumes the leadership of the United Nations Security Council this month, the country wants to focus on the broader peace and security issues in the Mideast rather than the Israel-Hamas war, even as it devastates civilians in the Gaza strip.
Listen to our podcast to find out what it hopes to do about transnational organized crimes in Latin America and UN peacekeeping in the Central A
November: Meet the Uyghurs Preserving Their Culture in the US
In this episode, we meet a family who fled Xinjiang Province, or what they prefer to call East Turkestan, to the US and are now teaching a new generation in the diaspora about Uyghur language and culture. We also meet a New York City restaurateur who is keeping Uyghur cuisine alive.
Tweet at us @pass_blue
Seton Hull link: https://www.shu.edu/diplomacy/visiting.html
GC tv link: https://www.global
October: How Will Brazil Uphold Human Rights Globally?
Brazil recently won a sixth term in the Human Rights Council. Before the election, we spoke to the country’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, Norberto Moretti, on the country’s candidacy. We also talked about the reversal of deforestation in the Amazon and the lack of debate on migration in the UN Security Council. With context provided by Prof. Gustavo Macedo at Ibmec in Sao Paulo.
Set
September: Tiny Albania Stands Up to the Russian Bear
If you want to join the European Union, make sure you are at peace with Athens. But Ferit Hoxha, Albania’s envoy to the UN and rotating president of the UN Security Council for September, is unperturbed about possible obstacles Greece may put in Albania's way, regardless of certain disputes. PassBlue interviewed Hoxha and Engjellushe Morina, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreig
August: How Long Can Biden Keep Putting Up With Israel?
As the US takes over the Security Council, famine and human rights are the banner themes for August. We chat with foreign affairs analyst Jeffrey Laurenti about the Black Sea Grain deal, perennial Israel and Palestine fracas and Afghanistan’s foreign reserves. Laurenti, who is American, says Israel’s extreme right-wing government is alienating its Jewish support in the US. Would that be enough to
Act of Creation - Hammering Out the UN Charter
Our latest episode of “Act of Creation” takes listeners deep into conversation with Stephen Schlesinger, author of the book of the same name, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this September and chronicles the birth of the United Nations through the signing of the UN Charter. That is arguably the moment when the UN was born, at the end of a two-month conclave that began on April 25, 1945, most
July: The UK Says Its Policy of Migrant Returns Is Normal
With UK’s presidency of the Security Council underway, PassBlue used its interview with Ambassador James Kariuki, the country’s deputy permanent representative, to ask about one of the most controversial pieces of UK foreign policy – a bill that could allow British government ministers to ignore injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights to suspend deportation of illegal migrants. We also
June: The UAE Is Putting Its Own Interests First
In March, the Taliban opened a consul in the UAE. There are two possible results proffered by Dr. Mira Al Hussein, a Mideast expert, on the move: the militants gain international legitimacy or the US could be tempted to bolster the Taliban to attack Iran. Both parties have clashed over water rights this year. On this episode of UN-Scripted, we also reflect on how well the UAE has been at building
May: Switzerland Aims to Regulate the Use of the Veto
On April 26, the Security Council held a historic meeting on the use of Veto power. At that meeting, an initiative by France and Mexico to stop Council members from using veto in cases of atrocities was re-echoed.
Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl, Switzerland’s first Security Council president, told PassBlue her country is actively pushing for the motion to become a resolution. Will it happen? So far,
Act of Creation - Setting the Scene
This is the first part of our three part podcast series about the founding of the United Nations, featuring Stephen Schlesinger, author of the book "Act of Creation." The series was created by Dan Becker, a composer, educator and board member of UNA-USA in San Francisco.
It is focused through the prism of the San Francisco Conference, where for two months beginning on April 25, 1945, the UN Cha
April: Should Russia Be Kicked Out of the Security Council?
Stephen Schlesinger, Fellow at the Century Foundation New York, author, International Affairs analyst, and a few other caps, told PassBlue why the multilateral system is best served with Russian in it.
At the end, dealing with erring Permanent council members, a position all five have occupied in history, comes down to moral suasion.
March: Mozambique Recalls When the West Abstained on Banning Colonialism
Sitting president of the Security Council, Pedro Comissario chatted with PassBlue on Feb. 24, 24 hours after abstaining again on a UN resolution demanding Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine. He said that certain Western countries, including the US and UK, did the same on Resolution 1514, outlawing colonialism, but he denied that historic ties with the Soviet Union have any bearing on Mozambique's fo
February: Malta Faces Rising Sea Levels
Remember Atlantis? The mythical city gobbled up by the ocean? This is happening to islands and villages in the Pacific.
Ambassador Vanessa Frazier, Malta's emissary to the UN and president of the UN Security Council for February, tells PassBlue that international law has no cover for the rights of islanders who could lose their home to the water in our lifetime. Malta will raise the matter of risi
January: Japan Wants the Security Council to Help Manage North Korea
North Korea pushed pacifist Japan to the edge in 2022, launching over 90 cruise and ballistic missiles, several of them landing in Japanese waters. Tokyo responded in kind, announcing a security strategy that would see it become the ninth-most militarized economy in half a decade. The Japanese are also wary of possible Chinese threats. Journalists at Japan’s press briefing earlier in the month wan
December 2022: India Affirms Its Right to Buy Oil Wherever It Wants
India has raised its oil purchases from Russia from about 0% at the beginning OF THE Year to an estimated 22% in October. As a large consumer, its buying from Russia is freeing up the market for other buyers, keeping oil prices down. On the 60th episode of UN-Scripted, we speak to the country’s first female permanent representative, Ruchira Kamboj. She says India has the sovereign right to meet th
November 2022: For GHANA, the Jury Is Still Out on Sanctions Against Russia
Ghana takes the presidency of the UN Security Council at a deep time of uncertainty. Russia has just suspended its role in the only concession it has offered since Putin invaded Ukraine, the Black Sea grain deal, upsetting the UN and the rest of the diplomatic community. Ambassador Harold Agyeman talks about whether Western sanctions on Russia have hurt Global South economies, but he says it's the
October 2022: Gabon: Africa Needs More Money to Deal With a Hotter Planet
Gabon is in Central Africa, one of the few places in the world that absorbs more carbon than it emits. One month to COP27, in Egypt, we speak to the country’s ambassador to the UN, Michel Xavier Biang.
Africa, he says, needs outside financing to adapt to the hot earth, which is 0.4 degrees from the "at least" 1.5 degrees target agreed in the Paris climate pact. In this episode, we are also joine
September 2022: France Keeps Ukraine Front and Center
France leads the presidency of the Council this month, while down the hall at the UN, world leaders will gather for the General Assembly's annual high-level debate. We talk with French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière about Western sanctions on Russia, global fixation on Africa and enduring problems with the Council's "P5" veto power. We are also joined by Ashish Pradhan, the International Crisis Gro
August 2022: CHINA'S Keeping "Cool" in the Security Council
As Council president in August, China wants to keep the UN body "cool" -- literally and figuratively -- by navigating the fine line of maintaining its closeness to Russia while not souring relations too much with the West, discussing global "security" without mentioning any of its own human-rights problems and regional territorial claims and championing a no-tie look and distributing Chinese fans
July 2022: Brazil Says: No More 'Mud-Slinging' at the UN
As Brazil assumes the presidency in July, we talk with Ambassador Ronaldo Costa about his country's foreign policy priorities this month and how President Jair Bolsonaro's inflammatory rhetoric has affected its diplomacy at the UN. We also ask Costa and Adriana Abdenur, a climate change and policy expert based in Rio, about the shrinking Amazon rainforest.
Links:
PassBlue's website: www.passblue.
June 2022: ALBANIA Aims to Strengthen Global Justice for Past and Present Atrocities
Albania is a small, Sunni Majority country that has successfully kept religion out of its politics and allowed the practice of other faiths besides Islam. It is also a country scarred by invasions, autocracy and institutional breakdowns. But the NATO member and EU-hopeful has risen to become a strong voice in the Balkans. Its elected two-year term in the UN Security Council began in January, and i
May 2022: The US Continues to Keep Russia on the Defensive
The United States assumes the Security Council presidency in May, as it also leads efforts to continue to isolate Russia in the UN for its war in Ukraine. On this episode, we hear from US envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield about the country's signature events in the Council, and chat with Thomas G. Weiss, leading American academic on the UN and Presidential Professor of Political Science and
April 2022: The UK Leads a Security Council Handicapped by Russia's Veto
In April, the UK leads a Security Council that is inevitably prevented from taking meaningful action on Ukraine by Russia's veto. We are joined by UK Deputy Permanent Representative James Kariuki, who shares how the UK aims to minimize Russia's misinformation in the Council and the UK's signature events this month, on ending sexual violence in wars and on getting Covid-19 vaccines in conflict zone
March 2022: The UAE Grows Up but It's Still Undemocratic
The United Arab Emirates assumes the Security Council presidency in March at a time when the body finds itself powerless to overcome Russia's veto and take any real action on Ukraine. We talk with Emirati Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh as well as Dr. Sanam Vakil, Deputy Head of Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa Program, about the UAE's foreign policy priorities as Council president, its abst
February 2022: Will RUSSIA Observe the Olympic Truce in Ukraine?
As Russia assumes the Security Council presidency in February, international tensions are high over the country's military buildup at the Ukraine border. On this episode, we look at how Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea could offer insights into the Council's ability -- or inability -- to address the current crisis and whether China will choose a side: the West or Russia? We talk with Russia's De
January 2022: Oslo Accords: The Real-Life Mona Juul
Norway’s New Year's resolutions are to make an indelible mark during its only Security Council presidency of its 2021-22 term while monitoring emerging and existing conflicts that threaten international peace and security. We talk with Ambassador Mona Juul, whose pivotal role in the Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization was recently portrayed in the HBO movie
December 2021: Niger Ends Two Strong Years on the Security Council
Niger ends its two-year term in the UN Security Council as president of the body for a second time. A lot has changed in the world, in the Sahel region of Africa and in Niger since the country joined the Council in January 2020. On today's show, we review Niger's tenure with UN Ambassador Abdou Abarry and expert Michael Shurkin, Director of Global Programs at 14 North Strategies, a Dakar-based con
November 2021: MEXICO Uses an International Setting to Highlight its National Priorities
Mexico is at the helm of the Security Council in November for its only presidency in its two-year term. The county is prioritizing international issues of great domestic concern: small arms and migration. We talk with Mexican Deputy Permanent Representatives Alicia Buenrostro and Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo, as well as the country’s Political Coordinator, Enrique Ochoa. We also hear from Andrew Rudm
0ctober 2021: KENYA, Advancing the African Agenda on the Security Council
As president of the Security Council in October, Kenya is leading the Council on its first international trip since the pandemic began, to Mali and Niger. Kenyan Ambassador Martin Kimani joins us to discuss his country’s priorities for the month, including counterterrorism, small-arms weapons, and women, peace and security. We also speak with Dr. Geoffrey Lugano, a lecturer at Kenyatta University,
UNGA 76: New York City's Most "Fashionable" Event is Back:
It is that time of year again: The UN General Assembly's meeting with world leaders returns in a hybrid format after being virtual last year. Which heads of state and government are coming? What should you watch for? We've got your guide to the 76th UNGA session. We speak with Nigerian Ambassador Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, who was the 74th president of the General Assembly, about what to expect. We a
September 2021: How Tough Can IRELAND Be on Ensuring Women’s Rights in Afghanistan?
Ireland takes over the presidency of the Security Council in September with Afghanistan still in crisis. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason discusses her country's commitment to Afghan women and girls as the Taliban assume control of the country, and she shares her plans for the month with the UN General Assembly high-level week fast approaching. We are also joined by Rory Montgomery of the Royal Ir
August 2021: INDIA is Out to Prove it Deserves a Permanent Security Council Seat
As India assumes the Security Council presidency in August, it seeks to show the world that it deserves a permanent seat at the horseshoe table. On this episode, we are joined by Indian Ambassador to the UN, T.S. Tirumurti, as well as foreign policy expert Mohamed Zeeshan. Zeeshan is a staff writer at the Diplomat, a foreign affairs publication, and has written a book called, "Flying Blind: India’
July 2021: The Future of FRANCE in the Sahel
France takes over the presidency of the Security Council at a major turning point in its foreign policy: it has announced it is scaling down its long military presence in West Africa. Also this month: France hosts the final Generation Equality Forum, in Paris. We talk to French Deputy Permanent Representative Nathalie Broadhurst and a French political scientist, Franck Petiteville, of Sciences Po
June 2021: ESTONIA to Push the Security Council to Recommend UN’s Guterres to a Second Term
On this episode, we have a very special guest: Eva-Maria Liimets, Estonia's foreign minister, as well as Estonian ambassador to the UN, Sven Jurgenson, who assumes the Security Council presidency in June. Estonia is the only country in the world that is not a monarchy that is led by a woman president and a woman prime minister. We discuss how women have assumed top roles in Estonia's government, i
May 2021: CHINA, Avoiding the Big Challenges in the Security Council
China assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council for May, trying to control the narrative around the Covid-19 pandemic, Myanmar and human rights all in one month, in a packed agenda. In this episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Rosemary Foot, an Oxford professor who has recently published a book titled "China, the UN, and Human Protection: Beliefs, Power, Image." We also talk with Peter Irwin, a p
April 2021: VIETNAM in the Security Council: 'We Try to Make Everyone Happy'
As Vietnam assumes the UN Security Council presidency, harsh crackdowns by the Myanmar military continue in the country after the Feb. 1 coup d’état. And since Vietnam presented itself as a "bridge builder" when it joined the Council in January 2020, its ability to bring the 14 other members together on specifically preventing further atrocities in Myanmar will be rigorously tested this month. We
March 2021: The New US Ambassador Hits the Ground 'Sprinting'
The newly arrived American ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, hits the ground sprinting as she assumes the presidency of the Security Council in March. On today's episode, we speak with retired Ambassador Ruth A. Davis, one of the ambassador's longtime mentors; Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign and Senior Vice President at the United Nations Foundation; and Mark Ballard
February 2021: The UK Tests Its 'Global Britain' Foreign Policy at the UN
Britain assumes the Security Council in February with a new ambassador: Permanent Representative Barbara Woodward, who was most recently her country's ambassador to China. In this episode, she shares how her new job compares with working in Beijing and how staying fit helps her get through tense diplomatic negotiations, wherever she lives. Richard Gowan, a UN expert at the International Crisis Gro
January 2021: TUNISIA'S Delicate Diplomacy, a Decade After the Arab Spring
It has been 10 years since the Arab Spring, which started in Tunisia in 2011 and forced the exile of its president and strongman, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Now, a democratic Tunisia assumes the UN Security Council rotating presidency in January as an elected member. To discuss Tunisia's priorities and diplomatic strategy, we are joined by Tunisia’s ambassador to the UN, Tarek Ladeb, and Youssef Che
December 2020: SOUTH AFRICA on the Security Council: How'd It Do?
PassBlue is a non-profit media site, and we depend on your generous donations to help us report on important stories about the UN. In December, PassBlue takes part in NewsMatch, a national matching-gift campaign that drives donations to nonprofit newsrooms. If you give today at https://www.newsmatch.org/organizations/passblue, NewsMatch doubles your donation, up to $5,000. For a nonprofit like us,
Ep. 34: How Hard Will It Be for the Biden-Harris Team to Embrace the UN Again?
“America is back”: In this episode, we detail the challenges the new White House faces to fully commit to the UN again, including rejoining all the UN entities and agreements it left, resigned from or defunded under the Trump administration, like the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization. To sort it all out, we ask three experts: Larry Johnson, a professor at Columbia Law School and a
November 2020: The Smallest Country to Ever Lead the Security Council
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, an island nation in the Caribbean, is the smallest country ever elected to the Security Council, and this month, it assumes the Council Presidency for the first time. There is nothing conventional about the country’s ambassador, Rhonda King. On this episode, she shares with us her government’s sometimes confusing foreign policy; how getting cancer inspired her to le
Ep. 32: The Nobel Committee Awards Its 12th UN-Related Peace Prize
The Nobel Committee awarded the World Food Program a Nobel Peace Prize this month, for 2020. This is the UN system's 12th time winning the world's highest recognition for peace, and it comes as the UN celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. PassBlue contributor Clair MacDougall shares with us how David Beasley, the Executive Director of the WFP, reacted to finding out about the win on his tour
October 2020: RUSSIA Names its First Female Deputy Ambassador in New York
Russia has a new deputy ambassador at its UN mission in New York: Anna Evstigneeva, the first woman to hold the position there. Evistgneeva, who originally hails from St. Petersburg, gives us her take on Russia's Security Council presidency this month as the Council tackles high-stakes topics such as the expiration of the arms embargo on Iran and the aftermath of a military coup in Mali. We also c
Ep. 30: The Oscars of International Politics Goes Digital
On Sept. 21, 2020, the United Nations opens the 75th General Assembly session. But this year's debate will be unlike any other. As the Covid-19 pandemic still rages and because travel restrictions remain in effect in New York City, the usual retinue of heads of state and their delegates will be mostly staying home –– sending video speeches instead. We chat with an e-diplomacy expert, Jovan Kurbali
September 2020: NIGER Gives the Sahel Region a Voice on the Council
Niger assumes the Security Council presidency this month, bringing the voice of Africa’s Sahel region to the body as it and its neighbors battle terrorism and chronic instability in the region. On the show, we talk with Ambassador Abdou Abarry about the country's plans for the Council, especially as the United States triggers the snapback provision of the Iran nuclear deal, and Michael Shurkin, an
Ep. 28: In Lebanon, a Crisis on Top of a Crisis
As the world unites to help Lebanon recover from a blast that decimated parts of its capital on Aug. 4 and killed nearly 200 people, some powerful members of the Security Council in New York are arguing over the mandate renewal of the UN's peacekeeping mission in the country, UNIFIL. On today's show, we talk to Ambassador Amal Mudallali, the ambassador of Lebanon to the UN, about her hopes for the
August 2020: ‘Independent’ INDONESIA Now Has to Pick Sides
Indonesia assumes the Security Council presidency this month, and two big items are on its agenda: burgeoning its role as a 'bridge builder' between small and large powers on the Council, and transitioning the Council to in-person voting on Council resolutions. On today's show, we hear from Indonesian Ambassador to the UN, Dian Triansyah Djani, as well as Dr. Moch Faisal Karim, Assistant Professor
Ep. 26: How to Get a Job at the UN
It is no secret that the global economy has taken a major hit from Covid-19. While graduations from universities, colleges and other schools were canceled or moved online, there is still an entire class of young people entering the job market who are passionate about multilateralism, global development, human rights and sustainability. But how can they land a coveted, highly competitive entry-leve
July 2020: Can GERMAN Diplomacy Thrive Without Chancellor Merkel?
Germany is regarded as one of the most powerful defenders of multilateralism in the world right now and has largely resisted the current global wave of populism and isolationism. But Chancellor Angela Merkel, the face of Germany since 2005, is retiring in 2021. What role will the country play on the world stage without her? As Germany begins its last presidency of the Security Council in its two-y
Ep. 24: Elders and Youth Reflect on the UN's 75th Birthday
Happy Birthday, UN Charter! As the United Nations turns 75, UN-Scripted looks at the past, present and future of the organization through the sharp eyes of elders and youth. In this episode, you’ll hear from former heads of states, diplomats and United Nations officials on what they believe are the UN’s greatest accomplishments and the path ahead for the organization.
In this episode, you'll he
Ep. 23: It’s French only in le Conseil de sécurité in June
Bonjour! If you want to learn a new language to add to your list of quarantine ambitions, now may be the time to learn some very basic French — at least diplomatic French. In June, France assumes the Security Council presidency and is insisting on leading its meetings in la langue de Molière. On the show, we're joined by two longtime French diplomats: France’s current ambassador to the UN, Nicolas
Ep. 22: The UN’s Top Doc Checks Out, Returning to Australia
Dr. Jillann Farmer has managed her share of crises as United Nations medical director, such as the Ebola outbreak in 2014 in West Africa and the Syrian chemical attacks that occurred in the country soon after that epidemic. Last winter, Dr. Farmer was ready to move on to a new job after 7 years at the UN to return to her native Australia, when the coronavirus pandemic quickly incapacitated New Yor
Ep. 21: Estonia, a Hip Tech Hub, Leads the Security Council in May
In May, Estonia assumes the UN Security Council presidency for the first time ever, bringing with it global expertise in cybersecurity and digital governance, just when the world seems to need it most. On this episode, we are joined by Estonian Permanent Representative Sven Jorgensen, who has been representing Estonia abroad even before it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and Lau
Ep. 20: To Lift or Not to Lift: Will Covid-19 Shake Up Sanctions?
The coronavirus pandemic could change dynamics in the global political landscape that seemed unchangeable only last month. Will sanctions regimes be one of its victims?
Many parties in the international community are debating whether to loosen sanctions in certain countries to help them fight the pandemic, but critics say that bad actors are using the pandemic as political opportunism to lift san
Ep. 19: The Security Council's "New Normal"
As the Dominican Republic assumes the Security Council presidency in April, Special Envoy José Singer Weisinger is inheriting a body fundamentally changed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He's presiding over "informal" video teleconference meetings and a flexible schedule from his country's capital, Santo Domingo, instead of from the Security Council chambers in New York City. Still, Singer wants the wor
Ep. 18: The Security Council Goes Silent as the Secretary-General Speaks Up
**BONUS EPISODE**
Will the world's war against the coronavirus stop (at least temporarily) all other wars? Secretary-General Antonio Guterres certainly hopes so. Still working in a mostly-empty UN headquarters, Guterres has made a global call for cease fires of all conflicts...with mixed results. And if Guterres gets sick himself, who is in charge of the United Nations? PassBlue reporter Laura Kir
Ep. 17: Can Global Diplomacy Survive COVID-19?
On March 13, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres ordered New York-based personnel to start working from home from March 16-April 13. In this episode, we explore the question: How is working remotely affecting diplomacy? To answer it, we talked to four diplomats from four countries, all based in New York, about how their respective missions to the UN are handling the crisis: Rodrigo C
Ep.16 The Coronavirus and China in the Hot Seat at the UN
The coronavirus -- COVID-19 -- outbreak is on everyone's minds right now, and the United Nations is no exception. As China assumes the Security Council rotating presidency for March and tries to stay focused on its top priorities, we look at how the outbreak has affected Chinese diplomacy here in New York and how it led to limiting the biggest annual women's rights meeting in the world, the Commis
Ep. 15: US Foreign Policy: the President v. the Democratic Primary Candidates
**DOUBLE FEATURE ALERT**
U.S. President Trump has made good on his campaign promises to redefine America's relationship with the rest of the world – for better or for worse, depending on perspectives -- and the United Nations has in many ways been the epicenter of his "American First" policy abroad. Most recently, his peace proposal for Israel and Palestine scraps decades of UN Security Council bi
Ep. 14: Royalty, Brexit, Abbas, and Kushner: Belgium Presides Over a Busy Security Council Agenda
This month, A royal family comes to the UN, and it’s not Meghan and Harry on their first North American tour after Megxit. It’s the royal family of Belgium, making their first ever appearance before the UN Security Council. But that's not the only exciting event Belgian Ambassador Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve has on the agenda for Belgium's presidency this month. In an exclusive interview, he opens
Ep. 13: Melissa Fleming Wants to Reshape the UN’s Image: Can She Do It?
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the words "United Nations"? Melissa Fleming, UN Under Secretary General for Global Communications, spends a lot of time thinking about how people all over the world answer that question. A newcomer to UN headquarters in September, with a big agenda ahead (like the UN's 75th anniversary), Fleming wants the UN to become synonymous with positivity an
Ep. 12: Vietnam: Bridge Builder at the UN?
As the United Nations Security Council faces rising tensions between the United States and Iran in the Middle East, Vietnam assumes the Council presidency this month as well as the chairmanship of the Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN)for 2020. On this week's show, we chat with two experts about how Vietnam may navigate the global crisis alongside its own priorities: Noeleen Heyzer, a
Ep. 11: China's Playground at the UN
China's investments around the globe purportedly came with "no strings attached." But many countries on the receiving end of those investments are now declining at the United Nations to denounce China's human rights record, even as its treatment of the Uighurs becomes increasingly difficult to deny. Co-host Stéphanie Fillion brings us up to speed. Also, we bring you an exclusive interview with the
Ep. 10: Bourbon and Basketball: The Security Council Visits Kentucky
Because the UN is located in New York City, the ambassadors don't often get to see the rest of the US, let alone experience "Southern hospitality." No more. As Security Council President this month, US Ambassador Kelly Knight Craft is taking the council "home for the holidays" to her home state of Kentucky. PassBlue Editor Dulcie Leimbach travelled to the horse capital of the world to see what's i
