SHARES News Items Overview: 16 June 2015-16 July 2015

van Trigt Martine — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 12:57:29 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 June 2015-16 July 2015, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

Briefing the press on the Yemen crisis, the UN Secretary-General said that the UN and member states retained ‘a special obligation to act’.
The collection of articles on Organised Non-State Actors (edited by Jean d’Aspremont, André Nollkaemper, Ilias Plakokefalos and Cedric Ryngaert) has been published in: (2015) 62 Netherlands International Law Review 49-160. Contributions are written by the editors and Veronika Bílková; Markos Karavias; Sorcha MacLeod; and Kimberley N. Trapp.
The Hague District Court ordered the Dutch state to take more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands. The Court held that the NL cannot hide behind the fact that collective action is needed for a solution to the global problem of climate change, and the state has to ensure that its emissions in 2020 will be at least 25 per cent lower than emissions in 1990.
The Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of human rights while countering terrorism said concerning the gross violations committed by ISIL: ‘The Security Council has an obligation to act’, and ‘[g]iven the reports of genocide, all members of the Security Council may now have a specific responsibility to take action to prevent this most serious of international crimes’.
New research of intelligence documents suggests that high government officials of the UK, France and the US allowed Mladic and his army to proceed to the safe area of Srebrenica in 1995, while being aware of the risk of humanitarian disaster. Thousands of Muslim men were killed.
On 8 July 2015, the Security Council failed to pass a resolution – with 10 votes in favour, four abstentions (Angola, China, Nigeria and Venezuela) and the Russian Federation voting against – strongly condemning as genocide the crimes committed at Srebrenica in 1995.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said: ‘Europe has a clear responsibility to help those seeking protection from war and persecution […] European countries must shoulder their fair share in responding to the refugee crisis, at home and abroad.’

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 May 2015-15 June 2015

Schechinger Jessica — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 08:09:11 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 May 2015-15 June 2015, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

The Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime stressed the cross-border nature of migrant smuggling, saying: ‘Our responses [must be] integrated and inclusive, uniting countries of origin, transit and destination, based on the principle of shared responsibility.’
Responding to reports suggesting that Indonesian and Malaysian authorities have pushed back boats carrying numerous migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection said ‘[i]nstead of competing to avoid responsibility, it is key for States to share the responsibility to disembark these people immediately’.
The UN Secretary-General emphasised the importance of addressing the challenge of migration, in the Mediterranean and in Southeast Asia, in his speech to the European Parliament. He stressed that ‘Europe has an important role to play and a collective responsibility to act.’
The President of the UNGA said that to achieve the UNAIDS Fast-Track Targets – which seek to eradicate the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 – will require ‘increased resources and investment, global solidarity, [and] shared responsibility‘.
Ban Ki-moon visited Central Asia ‘to support and promote a common response to the many cross-border challenges the region faces, including environmental issues, water … and trans-boundary crime’. On the post-2015 development agenda, he said: ‘This will be a universal agenda with responsibilities for all countries – developed and developing.’

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 April 2015-15 May 2015

Schechinger Jessica — Fri, 15 May 2015 11:39:46 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 April 2015-15 May 2015, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

Almost 900 Dutch citizens filed a claim against their government for a failure to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. ‘There’s a shared responsibility for any country to do what is necessary in its own boundaries to mitigate GHG emissions’ according to their legal adviser.
A working group of current and former judges, advocates and professors released the Oslo Principles on Global Climate Change Obligations. The Principles recognise that obligations of states are ‘common but differentiated’.
Reportedly, the sale of American military hardware is on the rise in the Middle East. The proliferation of arms to the region has been met with questions about how judicious Washington’s allies are in using US weaponry.
Ban Ki-moon called on the global community to unite and take action to address the root causes of the Mediterranean migrant crisis. He said to raise his ‘voice for collective responsibility and sharing of responsibility and burden in the name of humanity’.
The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation told the Polish ambassador to the US that he regretted remarks made earlier which suggested Polish complicity in the Holocaust.
The German intelligence agency reportedly let the US National Security Agency spy on French and European Commission officials from the Bad Aibling spying station in Bavaria.
Germany decided to limit its cooperation in the long-standing information sharing partnership with the United States after revelations of the US spying on European partners.
The European Commission proposed a EU-wide immigration policy, seeking to impose a quota system on the member states requiring them to share the burden of ‘persons in clear need of international protection’ and ‘ensure a fair and balanced participation of all member states to this common effort’.
The Mediterranean migrant crisis calls for collective action focused on the immediate need to save lives, the UN Special Representative for International Migration said.

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 March 2015-15 April 2015

Schechinger Jessica — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 07:10:18 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 March 2015-15 April 2015, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

Confirming the need for enhanced international cooperation, the head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said that ‘what is left for Member States and countries now is to find a common formula for the terms of international cooperation on financing, on how to formulate a common global commitment’.
Reportedly, militias, paramilitary forces and warlords are now prevalent in Afghanistan. These groups were created as part of the United States’ exit strategy, with varying support and US involvement.
The president of Vanuatu appealed to the international community for assistance. The president of Kiribati reiterated the call for a global response, together with aid agencies.
The foreign minister of Bangladesh asked global brands and retailers to fulfil their ‘responsibility’ to ensure acceptable work standards in factories, saying: ‘Ensuring decent work worldwide is about shared responsibility – for shared prosperity. It is about equity and fairness.’
The Yemeni foreign minister requested Gulf Arab states for support to prevent the advance of rebels further into the country, asking the Gulf Cooperation Council to intervene.
Experts from Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda discussed the Treaty of Transboundary Collaboration in the Greater Virunga Landscape. The Treaty seeks to establish a permanent framework for cross-border cooperation to enhance conservation of the biodiversity and improve the livelihood of communities.
The Secretary-General appealed to senior military officials for more troop contributions from states and for political will and purpose. ‘This is our largest deployment in history. It must be matched by a stronger international partnership for peacekeeping’, he said. ‘Peacekeeping is a shared global responsibility that advances the world’s common interests.’
The Secretary-General said concerning the Yarmouk refugee camp: ‘The epic humanitarian catastrophe in Yarmouk represents an epic test of the international community’s resolve … It is time for concerted action to save lives and restore a measure of humanity. We simply cannot stand by and watch a massacre unfold.’
The Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said that ‘a balanced approach, addressing supply and demand, in a spirit of shared responsibility, is needed’ to combat wildlife and forest crime.

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 February 2015-15 March 2015

Schechinger Jessica — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 15:28:35 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 February 2015-15 March 2015, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

President Obama urged over 60 states to join the ideological fight against violent extremist groups such as ISIS.
The UNSC reaffirmed its determination to defeat ISIL, stating that: ‘There has to be a common effort amongst Governments and institutions, including those in the region most affected, to counter ISIL’.
The UN marked World Wildlife Day on 3 March. The UNGA President called for a coordinated international response to the trafficking of wildlife, looking at both the supply and demand side of poaching and the illegal trade in animals.
Chad and Niger have intensified the joint military campaign against Boko Haram. Nigeria, Cameroon and Benin also contribute to the multinational force.
The UNSC unanimously adopted a resolution creating a system by which it would to impose sanctions on those blocking peace in South Sudan.
The European Commission is expected to present a policy paper on boat migration in the Mediterranean in which it proposes to establish third country processing centres in key transit countries, such as Niger, Egypt and Turkey.
The UNSC extended the mandate for the UN mission to Libya. The resolution follows a call on the international community and the UN to support national stakeholders in addressing Libya’s terrorism threats.
Iraq’s tourism and antiquities minister called for air strikes by the US-led coalition to protect the country’s heritage: ‘I am calling on the international community and coalition to activate its air strikes and target terrorism.’
The Indian Prime Minister stated that the strong security partnership between the countries [Seychelles and India] had enabled them to fulfill their ‘shared responsibility to advance maritime security in the region’.

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 January 2015-15 February 2015

Schechinger Jessica — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 17:11:01 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 January 2015-15 February 2015, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

Ban Ki-moon urged the international community for continued support, noting that the future success of the eradication of Ebola depended on ‘collective determination and clarity of focus’.
According to whistleblower Edward Snowden, the Dutch security agencies AIVD and MIVD do whatever the US security agency NSA tells them to do, calling the Dutch agencies ‘subordinate’.
US troops will soon be dispatched to establish training sites for the Syrian opposition. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar reportedly agreed to host sites.
The UNSC urged central African states to step up plans for a multinational force to fight Boko Haram.
The Permanent Representative of the UK Mission to the UN said: ‘Where a state is failing to act to protect its own citizens or, worse, is actively persecuting and killing them, the international community has an equal and shared responsibility to do all it can to protect populations at risk.’
At a regional conference, speakers stressed that drug trafficking and abuse required ‘concerted effort and mutual cooperation’. A UNODC Country Representative said that drug-trafficking is a ‘matter of shared responsibility’.
According to Israel’s prime minister: ‘The Lebanese government and the Assad regime share responsibility for the consequences of the attacks emanating from their territories against the State of Israel.’
EU leaders issued a joint statement criticising Russia for its ‘continued and growing’ support it has extended to Ukrainian rebels. The statement is seen as highlighting that Russia shares responsibility for the recent surge in violence.
Due to a funding shortfall, the UNRWA suspended its cash assistance programme that would have helped homeless families in Gaza. The UNRWA Director said: ‘People are desperate and the international community cannot even provide the bare minimum, for example a repaired home in winter.
Following the first major maritime tragedy this year in the Mediterranean Sea, the UNHCR called for European governments to provide Italy with ‘proper support to deal with people making irregular crossings’.
Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said: ‘The rescue of migrants at sea, the protection of asylum seekers are shared challenges; they require a stronger exercise of shared responsibility.’
UN Deputy Secretary-General said: ‘Together with the Israelis and the Palestinians, the international community holds the responsibility for what has been a collective failure to advance a political solution. The UN system, the GA, the SC … must work to revive negotiations for a two-State solution.’
Yemen sits on the brink of collapse, Ban Ki-moon warned, reminding the international community of its ‘solemn obligation’ under the UN Charter to help the state prevent an escalation of the conflict and re-launch its political process.
The UN Security Council approved measures targeting sources of funding for ISIL and Al-Nusrah Front, condemning those buying oil from the groups, banning all trade in looted antiquities from Iraq and Syria, and calling on states to end ransom payments.

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 December 2014-15 January 2015

Schechinger Jessica — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 10:46:32 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 December 2014-15 January 2015, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

The first edited volume of the SHARES book series entitled: Principles of Shared Responsibility in International Law: An Appraisal of the State of the Art has been published. More information concerning the book can be found here. With this Flyer, you can get a 20 per cent discount (offer expires 28-02-2015).
The Court of Justice of the EU delivered a negative opinion on the draft agreement on the accession of the EU to the ECHR. The EU accession under the provisions of the current draft agreement would undermine the autonomy and primacy of EU law. The Court further rejected the co-respondent mechanism.
The UN Secretary-General called for joint action to craft and take forward a new, inclusive, development agenda that eradicates poverty, protects the planet and ensures dignity for all. ‘We must be firm in our commitment to champion solidarity and shared responsibility as part of the sustainable development agenda. These are fundamental values that must be upheld’, he said.
The former UN special rapporteur on torture stated that the UK must undertake independent investigations into allegations of its involvement in the CIA’s rendition programme. He said the UK, like other European countries, would have to acknowledge its role in the CIA’s programme.
The UNSC adopted a resolution highlighting its concern over the ties between cross-border crime and terrorism. It stressed the importance of strengthening trans-regional and international cooperation on a basis of ‘a common and shared responsibility to counter the world drug problem and related criminal activities‘.
The former head of UNMEER pointed to significant progress in tackling the Ebola outbreak since he was appointed in September 2013, but stressed the ‘heavy responsibility’ on the UN. Setting the ambitious target [bringing cases down to zero] is an ‘obligation’ in order to bring the crisis quickly to an end.
A joint operation by the Force Intervention Brigade of the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the Congolese army (FARDC) took control of the main bases used by the National Liberation Front (FNL), who actively threaten the security and stability in the DRC’s long-troubled eastern region.

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 November 2014-15 December 2014

Schechinger Jessica — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 19:35:38 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 November 2014-15 December 2014, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

The UNSC renewed its call on states and regional organisations to adopt counter-piracy measures off the coast of Somalia.
While the planet and we face serious security, developmental and environmental challenges, G-20 countries possess not only the political power to set us on a better course, but a political responsibility to do so, according to Ban Ki-moon.
President Obama almost called Russian intervention in the Ukraine an ‘invasion’, saying they are ‘very firm on the need to uphold core international principles’.
Nine fugitives are being pursued as part of a UN-backed global operation targeting individuals wanted for serious environmental- and wildlife crime.
An Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman said ‘we do hope that countries in the region will continue to uphold their shared responsibility in addressing this issue of asylum seekers’.
An American and a South African civilian were killed during a joint rescue operation orchestrated by the US and aided by the Yemeni government.
The recent rise of migrants and asylum seekers crossing the Mediterranean Sea has resulted in a global crisis that calls for a global humanitarian response, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants said.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said that the UN as a whole and all member states must renew commitments and intensify efforts to promote and protect minority rights worldwide. He called on member states to exercise their moral and political responsibility and take early action when confronted with evidence or known risk factors for atrocity crimes.
At the 20th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC, Ban Ki-moon warned that although governments were responding in unprecedented ways and businesses and communities worldwide were also stepping up, the ‘collective action does not match our common responsibilities’.
Ban Ki-moon stressed the importance of partnerships between the UN and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, saying the organisations have a ‘common responsibility to diffuse tensions’.
Jan Eliasson underscored the collective responsibility to prevent atrocity crimes that is rooted in international law.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants urged European countries to support Malta’s efforts and ‘shoulder their share of responsibilities’.
Five countries have been identified as being home to secret CIA-controlled prisons namely: Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Thailand and Afghanistan.

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 October 2014-15 November 2014

Schechinger Jessica — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 14:01:48 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 October 2014-15 November 2014, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

The UN Secretary-General called on the international community to step up its efforts, saying: ‘Ebola can be beaten if we work together effectively. We all have a responsibility to act’.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that it is ‘deplorable’ that the UN office responsible for human rights cannot fulfil the dozens of pending requests for advisors and only receives around 3 percent of the UN budget.
The UNSC called for ‘a common effort’ among governments and institutions to ‘counter ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida’.
A CIA review reportedly concluded that many of its past attempts to arm foreign forces covertly had a minimal impact on the long-term outcome of a conflict.
The EU targeted 12 Syrian government ministers, appointed by Assad, with sanctions. The ministers are said to share ‘responsibility for the regime’s violent repression against the civilian population’.
The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said on the use of armed drones within law enforcement, that ‘[t]he decreased personal involvement of police officers in the deployment of force raises the question of who is responsible if things go wrong.’
Bette Dam stressed the importance of recognising shared responsibility between the government of Afghanistan and the international community for the current political and institutional instability.
The ECtHR found in Sharifi and Others v. Italy and Greece that there were several violations of the ECHR on account of collective expulsion by the Italian authorities of Afghan migrants, who were then deprived of access to the asylum procedure in Greece.
The Operations Director for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs made a strong plea for burden-sharing on behalf of the neighbouring countries that are affected by the ongoing civil war in Syria.
On 30 September, representatives of small island developing nations urged the international community for increased collective action to combat the adverse effects of climate change.
The UNSC condemned the kidnapping and murder by ISIL terrorists of Sunni tribesmen and urged the world to unite in a ‘common effort’ to defeat the group and all other associated armed groups.
The ECtHR held in Tarakhel v. Switzerland that Switzerland would be in violation of Article 3 ECHR if it would send back the applicants to Italy without obtaining individual guarantees that they could stay together as a family and that the facilities would be adapted to the children’s age.
The global humanitarian system has reached its limits, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees warned, saying it is our ‘collective responsibility’ to bridge the gap between current funding and actual needs.
The UNODC Executive Director said that the narcotics problem in Afghanistan remains a major global challenge and shared responsibility.
China and the US made an ‘ambitious joint plan’ against the growing challenges of climate change with a joint accord to curb carbon emissions.
The International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime released Guidelines on Methods and Procedures for Ivory Sampling and Laboratory Analysis to combat ‘the trade in illegal ivory through the provision of guidance to support transnational criminal investigations and law enforcement operations’.

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 September 2014-15 October 2014

Schechinger Jessica — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 08:26:03 +0000

This is our News Items Overview of 16 September 2014-15 October 2014, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility.

Today’s crises demand urgent and collective action to stem atrocity crimes and protect civilians, UN officials said during the meeting of the General Assembly to discuss the ‘responsibility to protect’ adopted nearly 10 years ago.
Asaib Ahl al-Haq (one of Iraq’s Iranian-backed militias and formerly identified as the biggest threat to US forces) and the US military are fighting on the same side against extremists of the Islamic State (IS), although both reportedly insists that they will not work together.
President Obama urged states to accelerate the global response to the Ebola outbreak, saying that the world ‘has the responsibility to act, to step up and to do more. The US intends to do more.’
The Security Council adopted a statement urging the international community to work with the new Iraqi government to implement the new Iraqi (political) agenda and combat militants.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Egypt, Greek, Maltese and Italian authorities to help bring to justice the people smugglers who allegedly deliberately sank a boat causing the deaths of hundreds of refugees and migrants in the Mediterranean.
The US and five Arab countries (Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates) launched airstrikes on IS targets in Syria. Several Arab states promised they would ‘do their share’ to fight the IS militants.
The UK government has pledged GBP 12m to help France tackle the problem of ‘illegal immigrants’ trying to enter Britain through Calais. The deal also facilitates increased cooperation between the two countries’ law enforcement agencies.
Governments, investors and financial institutions pledged to mobilise USD 200 billion by the end of 2015 for low-carbon programmes in developing countries.
Multinational oil and gas companies, major producing states and cities joined forces to slash methane emissions in a partnership that may immediately impact reducing global warming.
At the UNGA the Chilean President noted that world leaders have a ‘collective duty to act’ in regard to climate change.
The Amir of Qatar, reiterated his call on the Security Council to ‘shoulder its legal and humanitarian responsibility and support the Syrian people’ against terrorism and genocide.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution, calling on member states to cooperate in efforts to address the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters.
Governments, businesses, civil society, and indigenous peoples pledged to halve deforestation (a significant contributor to climate change) by 2020 in The New York Declaration on Forests.
President Obama urged cooperation to tackle ‘violent extremism’ spread by groups such as the ISIL, noting that over 40 states have offered to join the US coalition against the extremist group.
The President of Iran blamed Western and Arab states for sowing the seeds of extremism in the Middle East that gave rise to the IS and other groups, saying that ‘all those who have played a role in founding and supporting these terror groups must acknowledge their errors’ and apologise.
The President of Ghana noted that just as Ebola was able to freely pass through West African borders, so could drugs, arms, human traffickers and terrorists, and called for greater cooperation and coordination to conquer common threats.
The Portuguese Foreign Minister called for a boost in partnerships to counter the crises facing the world, saying ‘[u]niversality and shared responsibility are key concepts in this regard’.
‘The international community’s actions to address climate change are grossly inadequate’, the Samoan Prime Minister said at the UNGA.
Australia’s Immigration Minister and Cambodia’s Interior Minister signed a controversial agreement, aimed at resettling asylum-seekers in Cambodia.
Liberia (home to a significant part of West Africa’s remaining rainforest) is the first state in Africa that will stop cutting down its trees in return for development aid. Norway will pay USD 150m to stop deforestation by 2020.
Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister underscored the need to further implement the UN principle of ‘Common but Differentiated Responsibilities’, because industrialised counties emit the largest amount of greenhouse gas, while developing countries become the main victims of climate change.
The Foreign Minister of Burkina Faso said ‘plagues’ in the Sahel region ‘challenge us on our shared responsibility in the fight to eradicate them’, explaining the need to address the root causes of the emergence of criminal groups.
The Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants urged EU member states to assist Europe’s beleaguered frontline countries, such as Italy, Malta, Greece and Spain, in managing search and rescue missions.
A London-based organisation that collected evidence of weaponry used by the IS uncovered 21 states as sources of ISIS’s ammunition.
UN officials warned that the Ebola virus is ‘far ahead’ of the global response as it is morphing to an international crisis requiring all countries to scale up efforts and financial commitments to bring an end to the scourge.
The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing entered into force, enhancing the equitable sharing of benefits of the world’s genetic resources that can be used for pharmaceutical, agricultural and cosmetic purposes.
During a visit to the Garamba National Park, Martin Kobler, head of the UN Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, urged national and international actors to step up efforts in preserving the natural resources and rich biodiversity of the park.