Summit of the Future

UNGA kicks off on Monday. So does the Summit of the Future. What is it? And can it really change global governance?

Happy birthday Pericim!

Happy Fall! 🍁 It’s the last weekend of summer….😢

Speaking of which… The Opportunities section is still at the beach. It promises to be back next week.

The 79th UN General Assembly kicks off on Monday (though it will be a busy weekend with side events - give a shout out if you’re in the city). On the UN’s website, there are a few “themes” for this year’s confab. Climate change is one, with a high-level meeting on rising sea levels. There is a call for an international day on the total elimination of nuclear weapons. That’s something we can get behind. The international body will look at progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Concerned about global health, the UN will hold a high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance. A big focus, however, will be the Summit of the Future. 

In 2021, at the 75th UNGA, world leaders rightly asked what the future of global cooperation would look like. At that moment, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and growing concerns over climate change, extremism, inequality, authoritarians, and non-state actors, many were concerned about the global order. UN Secretary General António Guterres put out Our Common Agenda. It’s a paper that calls for “inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism” — to better respond and deliver solutions to the world’s challenges. Since then, the war in Ukraine, Gaza and other crises has only heightened the need for solutions. The Summit, which kicks off Sunday, is an effort to “renew global governance and faith in the multilateral system,” as Minh-Thu Pham told me. 

Pham is the co-founder and CEO of Project Starling. Self-described as a “think and do tank,” it’s focused on “shifting power to those most affected by global governance decisions” by building coalitions of internationalist governments and pragmatic civil society organizations.

Those most affected are countries in the Global South — and they’re not interested in taking orders anymore. Many of the multilateral bodies created after WWII left out voices from Latin America, Africa, and large parts of Asia. The Summit of the Future and, thereby, Project Starling strives to correct that by making global governance more representative and the conversation more inclusive. The goal is less posturing and better outcomes. 

“The world feels more divided than ever. Geopolitics are not aligned to solve these problems. Yet, there are tools that can address global challenges. One of them is multilateralism.” 

Before you roll your eyes, Pham, who has spent more than two decades working in the UN system, noted that as much as multilateralism struggles, it has produced results. In 2015, the UN adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (more commonly known as the SDGs). “The SDGs now apply to every country, not just developing countries” she told me, which means that “donor countries are also on the hook” and can't only be the ones lecturing and moralizing about gender equality or a clean environment. 

The Summit of the Future tries to go further. If adopted (negotiations are going down to the wire), the outcome agreement, called A Pact for the Future, seeks to address the lack of inclusive representation in global decision-making. It commits heads of state and government to give greater voice to those who bear the brunt of global crises but have previously been marginalized — not just on issues such as climate change but global economic governance and the digital transformation. That’s no guarantee that this new framework will right all wrongs or even correct geopolitical divides. But what Pham says it will do is “plant the seeds for governance changes that we will need to harvest over the coming months and years so -- we know inclusive decision-making leads to better results. These voices should have a seat at the table.” — Elmira

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I’m opening up my column to others. Please pitch me your op-ed idea/perspective. Let’s get more female perspectives. Email me on endeavoringe@gmail.com or respond to this post.

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Elsewhere in the World.....

On our radar...

Hezbollah attack

Did you have thousands of Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies exploding on your Bingo card for 2024? The Mossad did. According to the NYT, Israel used B.A.C. Consulting in Hungary as a front to manufacture devices for the Taiwanese-based Gold Apollo. Talk about a case study in methodical patience making the most of the globalized supply chain. Let’s also talk about how this could potentially be a violation of international law and, worse, the spark for a wider regional conflict. On Thursday, Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, called the attack, “an act of war.”  

• What do we know about the pager attacks in Lebanon? Yasmeen Serhan lays out and answers six questions, including how the explosions happened and why now. (Time)

• Meanwhile, Eva Dou and Gerrit De Vynck look at the difficulty in securing the international electronics supply chain against a potential adversary. The digital meets the real world. (Washington Post) 

79th UNGA

• What to look for at next week’s UN General Assembly? Priya Vora, Rebecca Winthrop, Caren Grown, Belinda Archibong, Jennifer O’Donoghue, and Sweta Shah weigh in. (Brookings) 

• Viola Gienger has what the experts are looking for at next week’s UNGA. (Just Security) 

Correction: Last week we noted that the Blavatnik Family Foundation’s National Awards for Young Scientists, in collaboration with the New York Academy of Sciences, awarded its three science awards to women. It was not the second year in a row, however. It is the second time that all awardees are women. Still, we think that’s awesome. 

Also, maybe it’s because Elmira ate at Lucali’s while Taylor and Travis were there too…. But we’re loving this Taylor Swift TikTok. 

US 

The big news in the US this week was the interest rate cut. It was considerable — and intended to help job numbers. Thankfully we have Stacey Vaneck Smith to help make sense of it all. (Definitely follow her for all econ stuff). 

If Harris and Walz win the presidential election in November, what can we expect from US policy on China? Mary Gallagher says it likely won’t stray too much from Biden’s policy, but the focus could shift. (WPR)

As the daughter of Haitian immigrants to Miami, Edna Bonhomme encountered xenophobic accusations about Haitians eating cats. JD Vance and Donald Trump are spreading conspiracy theories about Haitians doing the same in Springfield, Ohio. Bonhomme on how the “other” who lacks power is often scapegoated. (Slate)

Africa 

At the UN, an independent fact-finding mission to Sudan found grave human rights violations amid the country’s ongoing civil war. It called for the deployment of a peacekeeping force. Jenna Russo considers whether this is the best — and sole — option. (The Conversation)

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, women are being raped at alarming rates as the war rages on. Gabriele Steinhauser dives deep into this crisis in which almost 80 percent of women in camps for the displaced have been sexually attacked, assaulted, and violated. (WSJ)

Asia

This week marks three years since Afghan girls were banned from secondary education by the Taliban. Sahar Fetrat on the endless ways this ban will harm Afghanistan’s future. (HRW)

Solidarity between feminist movements across Asia and the Pacific is at a high after the Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF). Catherine Putz on the 500 people who gathered in Chang Mai for a three-day conference that looked at where women are, where they want to be, and how they got here. (The Diplomat)

It’s been a little over two years since Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt, which led to the ousting of the country’s leader. This weekend, the country holds elections to elect a new president. Samira Hussain says that voters are focused on the economy. (BBC)

Also of note, China has raised the retirement age. Retirement for female blue-collar workers will rise from 50 to 55; for female white-collar workers from 55 to 58. Retirement for men will go up from 60 to 63. 

The Americas

Last week we noted that Mexico’s Senate approved Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s sweeping judicial reform. That means that Mexicans will now elect judges directly. What we didn’t realize is that it means they will have TO ELECT 7000 OF THEM. Christine Murray on this “circus” and how it is an opportunity for organized crime. (FT) 

Chile’s Gabriel Boric had plans to transform the country as president. In his final year of office, Patricia Garip says the legacy he will leave behind will likely be that of guiding the country back to its tradition of moderate politics. (Americas Quarterly)

In Venezuela, opposition candidate Edmundo González was forced to sign a letter accepting Nicolás Maduro’s victory. 

Europe

This would probably have made our “On Our Radar” section, if the news was a bit slower… 😬 The West has long denied Ukraine permission from using its missiles against Russia. This week US President Joe Biden held talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to try to find a way to allow Kyiv to use its missiles. Putin has said that allowing Ukraine to use Western missiles would constitute war. Ivana Saric on what Putin’s statements mean and what DC and London will do. (Axios) 

As the far right grows in Germany, what will it mean for the country’s foreign policy? Nothing good say Angela Mehrer and Jana Puglierin. The governing centrists must act fast to address the right’s anti-Western stance before it becomes mainstream. (ECFR) 

The EU is cracking down on smuggling, but at what cost? Katy Fallon clues us in on the ways these efforts are wrongfully targeting migrants and refugees. (Inkstick Media)

Middle East

That’s a “no” on Saudi-Israel normalization. Annelle Sheline on Mohammed bin Salman’s speech on working towards the establishment of a Palestinian state. Sorry Joe (but we could have told ya your “grand bargain” wasn’t going to work). (Responsible Statecraft)  

Two years ago this week, Mahsa Amini died after being arrested in Tehran for not properly veiling. It sparked nationwide protests, demanding change. Even though the country elected the reformist-minded Masoud Pezeshkian, he has been slow to deliver. Shukriya Bradost, Dima Toukan, and Iulia-Sabina Joja reflect along with others. (Middle East Institute) 

The Iranian-backed Houthis successfully launched a missile into Israel this week. 😳Shannon McDonagh has the details. (Newsweek) 

When it comes to Israel-Gaza, NATO obligations cannot override international law. Shahd Hammouri weighs in on the British government’s announcement to suspend 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel. (Al Jazeera)

Science & Climate Change

Major flooding across Central Europe has left over 20 people dead and thousands displaced. Austyn Gaffney says this is a reminder of the growing threat of extreme weather due to climate change. (NYT)

Technology

In Brazil, the Supreme Court banned X (formerly known as Twitter) after a months-long feud with Elon Musk. While many left-wing politicians have moved over to the platform Bluesky, some right-wing politicians are still using X. Laís Martins and Daniela Dib weigh in on the potential dangers of spreading political disinformation. (Rest of World)

Under the Radar

In Bolivia, women are taking it upon themselves to clean up Lake Uru Uru. The lake was once clean enough to drink from – now it is lined with plastic waste and an overwhelming stench. Sarah Johnson has the details on the “Uru Uru Team.” (Guardian)

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Editorial Team

Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief

Editors:

• Pin-Shan Lai

• Catherine Lovizio

• Emily Smith