by Charlie Edwards | Apr 4, 2008 | Conflict and security, Middle East and North Africa, North America, UK
Back in the middle of February I posted on the plight of the Iraqi people in Basra suggesting that while the the city was not in the media spotlight things were turning from bad to worse. I ended saying I think we are going to see a lot more about Basra in the headlines in the next few weeks. Hmmm. Even though the report I read was shocking there was some positive stuff about British involvement – it was, however, not overly complimentary. And certainly not as bad as General Hayden’s view of how we, the Brits, have done in Southern Iraq.
by Charlie Edwards | Apr 4, 2008 | Off topic
British readers of Global Dashboard may think the headline is a description of Britain’s relationship with the US. But you would be wrong. Kevin Rudd, the new Australian Prime Minister has apparently brought shame to the billabongs and indignity to the ‘bush capital’ with his mock salute to the US President. This may be the greatest storm-in-a-tea-cup moment since John Lewis (a department store in the UK) stopped selling their own brand starch but to an Australian electorate that was promised they would no longer be subservient to the world’s only remaining supower it is a slap in the face or as the aussies like to say a snag short of a barbie…
by Alex Evans | Apr 4, 2008 | Climate and resource scarcity, Conflict and security, Cooperation and coherence, Global system
As David mentioned yesterday, Downing Street’s asked us to prepare a paper on reform of international institutions and present it to various heads of state and international agencies at tomorrow’s Progressive Governance Summit outside London.
Our central argument is that the international system’s core challenge is to get better at managing global risks like climate change, financial instability or food insecurity – and at building resilience to their impacts. To achieve that, a new approach to multilateral reform is needed: one that focuses a lot more on the function of international cooperation – the outcomes we want it to deliver – and less on its form (organisations, structures and institutional paraphernalia).
Download the full paper here.
We’ll be presenting to heads of state tomorrow morning and will report back here…
