The Week in Multilateralism
Friday, September 30, 2022
Supranational Slapdowns
There were two examples this week of international bureaucrats doing what they usually avoid: publicly criticizing powerful member countries. As Russia moved toward formally annexing swathes of Ukrainian territory, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called out the veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council:
In this moment of peril, I must underscore my duty as Secretary-General to uphold the Charter of the United Nations. The UN Charter is clear. Any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the Principles of the UN Charter and international law….The Russian Federation, as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, shares a particular responsibility to respect the Charter.
Guterres’s comments were the latest in what is by now a long series of statements critical of Russia. Moscow’s relative international isolation—and the fact that Guterres is in his second term as secretary general—have made criticizing Moscow easier than it might normally be for a UN leader. But the secretary general still faces the challenge of preserving his viability as a mediator in the crisis. At the moment, the prospects of international negotiations appear slim, but the UN leadership will want to be able to step into the breach should an opening appear.
In a very different context, another multinational organization chided another major power. On Tuesday, the leadership of the International Monetary Fund issued what by its standards is an unusual and unusually stern rebuke of British economic policies, and a new tax cut in particular:
[G]iven elevated inflation pressures in many countries, including the UK, we do not recommend large and untargeted fiscal packages at this juncture, as it is important that fiscal policy does not work at cross purposes to monetary policy.
Such frank criticism of leading economies is rare; the Financial Times described the IMF as “[u]sing language reminiscent of missives directed at emerging markets in the grip of currency crises.” Britain is one of the largest shareholders in the Fund (with more than four percent of voting share), and one of the select group of countries that has its own dedicated director on the Fund’s executive board.
Interestingly, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva has received criticism recently for tweaking Fund policies precisely to curry favor with major shareholders. She found herself embroiled in controversy for purportedly seeking to boost China’s ranking in a key report. And last year a group of IMF staff criticized her for watering down language on Brazil’s climate policies.
In this case, it’s quite possible to see the Fund’s move more as an act of deference to power than as a challenge to it: the Fund’s largest shareholder, the United States, is deeply concerned about the UK’s fiscal moves and has reportedly communicated its worries directly to senior Fund officials.
Openings and Closings at the International Criminal Court
The Hague-based International Criminal Court opened another trial this week. The court, which has often been criticized for the slow pace of its proceedings, began the trial of Mahamat Said Abdel Kani, accused of various crimes committed in the Central African Republic:
Kani…is alleged to have been a senior member of the Seleka coalition and is suspected of crimes against humanity (imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, other inhumane acts and persecution) and war crimes (torture, cruel treatment and outrages upon personal dignity) committed…between 12 April 2013 and 30 August 2013.
The ICC has launched two separate investigations in the Central African Republic, both of which have led to arrests and trials. Overall, the court, which opened its doors nearly twenty years ago, has produced 10 convictions and four acquittals.
While one trial began in The Hague, another one ended. 50-year old Paul Gicheru, a Kenyan lawyer on trial for witness tampering, was found dead at his home in Kenya. His death is the latest twist in what has become a difficult saga for the court. The ICC’s attempt to prosecute then Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta and deputy president William Ruto for violence following a disputed 2007 election collapsed several years ago amidst evidence problems and charges of government interference. The court responded by seeking to punish the interference itself, but Gicheru’s death now ends at least one element of that effort.
Toward the Summit in Bali
The Indonesian government is moving ahead full speed with the preparations for November’s G20 summit in Bali. The “sherpas”—those government officials charged with prepping the summit agenda and deliverables—recently wrapped up another session. Indonesia has given the summit the tag “Recover Together, Recover Stronger” and has prioritized discussion of global health, digital issues, and energy concerns.
But tensions over Ukraine and Taiwan will inevitably consume plenty of the oxygen. Writing for Chatham House, James Orr notes that the summit should provide an opportunity for interaction between the American, Chinese, and Russian leaders at a moment of intense geopolitical tension:
The guest list, confirmed by Indonesia in August, is extraordinary in that it includes Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, in his first international trip since January 2020, and Vladimir Putin, the embattled Russian president, who recently threatened nuclear escalation in his war in Ukraine after suffering heavy losses. Joe Biden, the US president, is also expected to attend in person, while Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, will make an appearance remotely.
Briefly Noted
The UN Security Council considered a draft resolution sponsored by the United States and Albania that would condemn Russia’s annexation plans. The draft faces a certain Russian veto but could pose a diplomatic challenge for China and India, in particular. In remarks to the Council earlier this week, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his insistence that Russia be stripped of its UN seat.
The International Telecommunications Union has a new secretary-general: U.S. national Doreen Bogdan-Martin. The longtime ITU official easily bested her Russian rival for the post, securing 139 of 172 votes cast.
World Bank president David Malpass said that the Bank will soon make a decision about the future of the Doing Business reports. The annual publication, one of the Bank’s most widely read products, was discontinued last year amidst questions about data irregularities.
At the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Venezuelan diplomats clashed with an international expert investigating abuses in that country.
NATO’s secretary general spoke this week to a group of European Union lawmakers and called on them to maintain the course on Ukraine.
A top official at the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank opened up about the Bank’s future priorities.
A senior African Union official is reportedly displeased with how the AU’s Peace and Security Council has been functioning.
New Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni may abandon the China-led Belt and Road Initiative. In 2019, Italy signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing that made it the first G7 country to join the BRI—a move which raised eyebrows in other Western capitals.
The Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank ousted the Bank’s president after accusations of an improper relationship with a staff member.
A historical leadership change takes place this week at the International Labour Organization, one of the world’s oldest multilateral bodies.
The European Union is challenging Malta’s “golden passport” arrangement through which wealthy individuals can secure citizenship in exchange for substantial investments. The bloc’s Court of Justice will hear the case.