Daily Multilateralism

Monday, January 11, 2021

• After late delays in securing permission, an investigative team from the World Health Organization is due to arrive in China this week as part of an inquiry into the origins of the pandemic.

• Britain’s new ambassador to the United Nations is “gung ho” about the country’s future multilateral role:

  Barbara Woodward pointed to the United Kingdom’s permanent seat on the powerful U.N. Security Council, its presidency this year of the Group of Seven major industrialized nations, its membership in the Group of 20 leading economic powers and NATO, and its hosting of the next United Nations global climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.

• United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has reportedly signaled to diplomats from the permanent five countries his intention to seek a second term:

  Guterres told the five permanent members of the Security Council on Sunday that he would like to stay on for a second term, according to two diplomats familiar with the matter.

  Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister, is likely to officially inform the president of the UN General Assembly soon, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the decision wasn’t yet made public.

• Briefly noted:

  • No dam breakthrough: The latest African Union-sponsored negotiations on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam have reportedly failed.

  • Even as it boosts its defense spending, Sweden remains skeptical of joining NATO.

  • Pakistani officials are optimistic about negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.

  • At a climate change summit, the World Bank’s president announced new investments in eleven African countries.

  • The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported that Kazakhstan’s parliamentary elections “lacked genuine competition.”