Podcasts about international humanitarian affairs

**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 Kirkpatrick investigated the line of succession for the top position at the UN. No one knows how long the pandemic will last, and it may be a problem for the 75th annual UN General Assembly meetings in New York in September. Norwegian Mari Skare, the Chef de Cabinet of GA President Tijani Muhammad Bande of Nigeria, shares with us how she has moved the General Assembly to remote work and what options are currently on the table for this year's UNGA. Correction: The podcast mentions a press briefing by the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the Economic and Social Council President, Mona Juul and the President of the Security Council, Zhang Jun, but previously omitted to mention that the President of the General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande was part of it and his office is the body that called the meeting. Links: PassBlue's live coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic at the UN: www.passblue.com/2020/03/15/the-u…s-rages-updates/ PassBlue's Facebook Group, where our reporters are giving updates and answering your questions: bit.ly/3a4KNX7 PassBlue's Twitter: @pass_blue ----- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University. Take your career to the next level and earn an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. It’s a 4-week intensive program taught by practicing humanitarian professionals, in locations around the world, from Kathmandu to Amman, New York to Geneva. Students will learn how facilitate dialogue and cooperation between governments and civil society, how to be more effective during humanitarian crises, and more. For more information on the upcoming program dates and locations, visit www.fordham.edu/iiha/grad and click on International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. ----- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Partnership for Transparency, a group of volunteer international development specialists. They work to advance good governance in developing countries by supporting civil society organizations. PTF believes governments alone can’t be expected to stop corruption. Their latest research shows that well-designed, citizen-led programs to strengthen transparency and accountability can produce better outcomes than state-led initiatives.. PTF’s report has practical recommendations for how empowered, engaged, and professional non-government actors can advance Sustainable Development Goal 16. To read the report or learn more about PTF’s work visit ptfund.org.

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 Carazo, the Costa Rican ambassador to the UN, Deputy Permanent Representatives Dmitry Polyanskiy of Russia and Odd-Inge Kvalheim of Norway and Mohamed Ali Jalardi, a counselor for Lebanon. And, we look at how the UN itself is transitioning from operating at the UN headquarters to...living room couches. Links: PassBlue's live coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic at the UN: https://www.passblue.com/2020/03/15/the-un-in-new-york-virtually-shuts-down-as-the-coronavirus-rages-updates/ PassBlue's Facebook Group, where our reporters are giving updates and answering your questions: https://bit.ly/3a4KNX7 PassBlue's Twitter: @pass_blue ----- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University. Take your career to the next level and earn an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. It’s a 4-week intensive program taught by practicing humanitarian professionals, in locations around the world, from Kathmandu to Amman, New York to Geneva. Students will learn how facilitate dialogue and cooperation between governments and civil society, how to be more effective during humanitarian crises, and more. For more information on the upcoming program dates and locations, visit www.fordham.edu/iiha/grad and click on International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. ----- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Partnership for Transparency, a group of volunteer international development specialists. They work to advance good governance in developing countries by supporting civil society organizations. PTF believes governments alone can’t be expected to stop corruption. Their latest research shows that well-designed, citizen-led programs to strengthen transparency and accountability can produce better outcomes than state-led initiatives.. PTF’s report has practical recommendations for how empowered, engaged, and professional non-government actors can advance Sustainable Development Goal 16. To read the report or learn more about PTF’s work visit ptfund.org.

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 Commission on the Status of Women, to just one day, on March 9. A Hong Kong-based China expert, Dr. Courtney Fung, joins us to provide her insights on China's diplomatic handling of the virus so far and the country’s long-term foreign policy strategies at the UN. ----- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University. This summer, take your career to the next level and earn an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. It’s a 4-week intensive taught by practicing humanitarian professionals, in New York City. Students will learn how facilitate dialogue and cooperation between governments and civil society, how to be more effective during humanitarian crises, and more. The program runs from May 31st through June 27th. For more information, email miha@fordham.edu. ----- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Partnership for Transparency, a group of volunteer international development specialists. They work to advance good governance in developing countries by supporting civil society organizations. PTF believes governments alone can’t be expected to stop corruption. Their latest research shows that well-designed, citizen-led programs to strengthen transparency and accountability can produce better outcomes than state-led initiatives.. PTF’s report has practical recommendations for how empowered, engaged, and professional non-government actors can advance Sustainable Development Goal 16. To read the report or learn more about PTF’s work visit ptfund.org.

**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 binding resolutions on the matter and even got one ambassador recalled. But what alternative visions to end the long conflict in the Middle East have been proposed by the Democrats hoping to unseat Trump in November? In this double feature episode, Al-Araby reporter Nabil Abi Saab, from Lebanon, walks us through the complicated background to the recent proposed UN resolution reacting to Trump’s Mideast plan and visits from relevant VIPS, including Jared Kushner, to New York that reflect the fallout of the American proposal in the Security Council so far. Plus, PassBlue contributor Jeffrey Laurenti explains how American foreign policy got to the current state of isolationism versus globalism, and shares everything we know (and everything we don't but wish we did) about what the Democratic primary candidates think of the United Nations and other global organizations, as well as other top foreign policy issues. ------ Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Partnership for Transparency, a group of volunteer international development specialists. They work to advance good governance in developing countries by supporting civil society organizations. PTF believes governments alone can’t be expected to stop corruption. Their latest research shows that well-designed, citizen-led programs to strengthen transparency and accountability can produce better outcomes than state-led initiatives.. PTF’s report has practical recommendations for how empowered, engaged, and professional non-government actors can advance Sustainable Development Goal 16. To read the report or learn more about PTF’s work visit ptfund.org. ------- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University. This spring, they’re offering online humanitarian training courses. Topics include cash, commodities, and services in a humanitarian response, managing or negotiating humanitarian responses, and more. Courses runs from March 16 through April 25. Or, earn an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. It’s a 4-week intensive taught by practicing humanitarian professionals, in New York City, from May 31st through June 27th. For more information, email miha@fordham.edu.

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 up about his diplomatic experience, the European perspective on Brexit, and Belgium's top priorities in the Council. What we're watching: how US President Trump's Middle East Peace Plan plays out among the Council members as Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas the plan's architect (and President Trump's son-in-law) Jared Kushner visit the Council chambers. ------- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University. This spring, they’re offering online humanitarian training courses. Topics include cash, commodities, and services in a humanitarian response, managing or negotiating humanitarian responses, and more. Courses runs from March 16 through April 25. Or, earn an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. It’s a 4-week intensive taught by practicing humanitarian professionals, in New York City, from May 31st through June 27th. For more information, email miha@fordham.edu. ------- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Partnership for Transparency, a group of volunteer international development specialists. They work to advance good governance in developing countries by supporting civil society organizations. PTF believes governments alone can’t be expected to stop corruption. Their latest research shows that well-designed, citizen-led programs to strengthen transparency and accountability can produce better outcomes than state-led initiatives.. PTF’s report has practical recommendations for how empowered, engaged, and professional non-government actors can advance Sustainable Development Goal 16. To read the report or learn more about PTF’s work visit ptfund.org.

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 and real solutions. In the process, can she improve what some see as the UN's image problem? ------- Hey there! Did you know UN-Scripted is part of a publication called PassBlue? We're a women-led news site with smart, exclusive articles on the UN almost daily. You can subscribe to get our articles right in your inbox by visiting www.passblue.com. ------- Support for UN-Scripted comes from the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University. This spring, they’re offering online humanitarian training courses. Topics include cash, commodities, and services in a humanitarian response, managing or negotiating humanitarian responses, and more. Courses runs from March 16 through April 25. Or, earn an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance. It’s a 4-week intensive taught by practicing humanitarian professionals, in New York City, from May 31st through June 27th. For more information, email miha@fordham.edu.

Dr Xand van Tulleken trained in medicine at the University of Oxford, he has a diploma in Tropical Medicine from the University of Liverpool, a Diploma in International Humanitarian Assistance from Fordham University and a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He was the Helen Hamlyn Senior Fellow at Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs 2011-2017. In 2010 he was MDM Head of Mission in Darfur. Xand is a contributing editor to the first edition of the Oxford Handbook of Humanitarian Medicine and has worked for Doctors of the World, Merlin and the World Health Organization in humanitarian crises around the world.   His primary interest is in health care delivery and public health in wars and disasters.

Two very common themes in the aid and development community are “resource scarcity” (some even call this resource starvation) and “locally driven solutions.” The particular resource scarcity I am referring to is a lack of funding. This is a conversation you cannot avoid, because the challenges always seem to be greater than the available pools of money, and one that, unfortunately, will only become more acute as we navigate the age of Trump and the new populism. Locally driven solutions refers to an ideal that contextualization of products and services results in solutions that are more appropriate, more readily accepted and potentially more durable, or sustainable. By supporting the development of answers at the local level, it is also assumed that we will foster a greater set of unique ideas, which spurs innovation and invention globally. While these two themes, at least at first blush, seem fundamentally in tension with one another there are a number of approaches that successfully bridge the gap. One of these approaches involves the use of technologies, processes, creative outputs and more that are “open source.” Open source products and services are free, community driven and have a number of incredibly successful examples. My guest for the 145th Terms of Reference Podcast is something of an open source evangelist. Giulio Coppi is the founder of an initiative called High Tech Humanitarians, which purports to be the first free online platform for collaborative humanitarian innovation on open source technology. He is also CEO of Open Focus, a non profit devoted to open source technology for good and is an Humanitarian Innovation Fellow at the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University in New York. As you no doubt have guessed, Gulio deeply believes that open source provides a platform to drive otherwise missing, misplaced or misaligned innovation for the humanitarian sector

On WFUV's Fordham Conversations we hear from Dr. Kevin Cahill, Director of the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University. Dr. Cahill recently moderated an expert panel discussion on the Haiti Earthquake crisis and humanitarian action.  Listen to Fordham Conversations Saturday mornings at 7am on 90.7 WFUV-FM