Category Archives: Uncategorized

By David Bosco The process for selecting the next United Nations Secretary General has received plenty of attention worldwide, much of it focused on whether a woman will be selected for the first time. The leadership selection process at the … Continue reading →

By David Bosco Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd may not be the next United Nations Secretary General but he remains a prominent voice on the future of the organization. In his capacity as chair of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism, he … Continue reading →

By David Bosco Canada is joining an increasingly long list of U.S. allies making peace with the Chinese-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): Canada will apply to join the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the bank’s president Jin Liqun … Continue reading →

By David Bosco Alongside the cascade of commentary on Brexit’s implications for Britain and the European Union, a few observers are asking what it will mean for the United Nations, and particularly for the Security Council. The consensus view seems … Continue reading →

By David Bosco Scholars have examined whether a country’s membership in regional organizations can impact its domestic politics. Jon Pevehouse’s 2005 book Democracy from Above made the case that regional groupings, in certain contexts, can help shape domestic politics and solidify transitions … Continue reading →

By David Bosco One of the most persistent criticisms of the UN’s Human Rights Council is that it has focused disproportionately–almost obsessively–on the Israel-Palestine dispute. The Obama administration has argued that its engagement with the Council has helped to improve that … Continue reading →

By David Bosco Speaking in Uganda, Turkish president Recep Erdogan made pointed comments about the structure of the UN Security Council: Criticising the veto power of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Erdogan said, “The world cannot … Continue reading →

By David Bosco I wrote last week about the controversy surrounding U.S. opposition to reappointing a member of the WTO’s appellate body. Yesterday, a collection of former appellate body members released a letter expressing concern about the episode’s impact on the … Continue reading →

By David Bosco Given its power, the World Trade Organization’s appellate body receives very little attention. Its seven members generally toil in obscurity even as they issue rulings on trade disputes with huge economic implications. But a U.S. campaign to unseat one appellate body member … Continue reading →

By David Bosco With the end of his term approaching, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon isn’t mincing words. He expressed frustration earlier this week that so few of the G7 countries sent their leaders to the first ever World Humanitarian Summit in … Continue reading →