Life at the WCC

Goodbye UN, Goodbye NY...

The final weeks at the UN have come and I never did have that drink with Kofi.

Whilst at the UN August has seen hectic paralysis over Lebanon/Israel, the renewal of the Haiti Minustah mandate, goodbye parties for the WCC UN office, preparation for the report of the UN High Level Panel on Coherence, holiday trip ‘up-state’ into the real US, and my preparations for return to the UK. It’s been a year since Katrina hit the US coast and five years since planes hit the twin towers, anniversaries provoking finger-pointing and naval gazing, flag-waving and condemnation in various measures.

What will I miss?

Clear blue skies, sky scrapers, rush and buzz of the city, opera in central park, trees surrounded by buildings, sitting at the sidewalk cafes, the Cuban man protesting every day outside the 7 metro exit with a cardboard sign condemning Cuban persecution, the regular protesters at the UN, the 24 hour life, New Yorkers, the Central Park roller-blading disco dancers and their fetish for lycra, the UN and its idiosyncrasies, some of the good colleagues and mission staff I have worked with, the sense of being close to decisions and close to the possibility for change, opera in the park, gigs on Houston Street, the East village, the lower east side, and last but not least the great American people with all their well-meaning and good natured approach to world domination.

What won't I miss?

Witnessing first hand through disintegrating multilateral processes the political impact of the great American people with all their well-meaning and good natured approach to world domination, ably abetted by the UN badboys China, Iran, Israel, Egypt, Russia, Venezuela,and various others. Cold winters and darkness, ridiculous network meetings without clear objectives, arsy New Yorkers dominating the pavement, Jersey girls on a night out, having to be nice to idiot diplomats, needless bureaucracy… and only the needless kind! and I won’t miss the rat-dogs everywhere… if it’s not bigger than a cat, people.... it’s not a dog!

Have I learnt more about the UN? Do I now understand it better?… definitely! But the saying here is that it takes a year to get to the starting point and I certainly have a much better grasp now, but a grasp that tells me how much more there is to know.

Just in New York even when you have got to grips with what resolutions are passed in which of the 6 committees of the GA, or the UNSC or ECOSOC or what conferences, High Level Dialogues, GA Special Sessions or hearings are key for your focused objective, a change in Ambassador to significant missions; P5, UNSC, or the Chairs of different committees, commissions and conferences can provide a completely different perspective.

Pinning down the work of the UN, its agencies, its relations with member states and member states relationships with each other is like trying to trap custard with a sieve, you might be able to do it but it won’t stay that way for long… the UN High Level Panel on Coherence for example is currently reviewing the mandates and roles of UN agencies supposedly with the aim of rationalizing them and making them more effective….one of many changes to the landscape.

This environment poses a problem for tracking down decision-making and responsibility but not just for civil society, for UN staff themselves! And you can have all the resolutions in the world but if you don’t have a key country invested in the outcome it can mean very little… it is why more than ever political pressure is needed to ensure that governments know they are being monitored for their roles and contributions to key processes.

Do I understand the WCC better? – Yes and No… I have been with the WCC through a time of immense change and over the course of this year I have often felt it is a ship at sea battling through a storm to find a harbour (just go with the metaphor for a second would you...). I leave convinced of the importance of its work and yet unsure of where it will land and whether it will still be in one piece when it does or what will happen to the churches and essentially the people, families and communities it carries.

What now?

For the UN and multilateral processes…. It doesn’t look good. The current political climate and the role of key states like the US under the current administration have radically reduced space for negotiation and compromise, crucial for effective joint decision-making. Multilateralism itself has always been the ground on which international posturing and muscle-flexing takes place, but this has never been more true and may continue to be so for the coming years. Under such a climate the process for achieving a strong outcome depends much more on working the politics as well as the issue.

For civil society this poses a greater challenge for networks, coalitions and campaigns to be organized and strategic. But I think it also demands of us a greater understanding and recognition for what multilateralism can achieve and why it is important to advocate for effective multilateral governance systems and processes as well as for the outcomes we want them to achieve.

What now for me?

Back to Blighty…. Back to London... Back to lovely and long-suffering boyfriend…. And back to Christian Aid and the delights of the Latin American and Caribbean Division… Goodbye NY... Goodbye hot summer…(or not), …Goodbye central park… Goodbye General Assembly, ECOSOC chamber and dingy smokey UN Café…. Goodbye UNICEF canteen…. Goodbye diplomats… Goodbye UN civil servants… Goodbye WCC UN office… Goodbye working groups… Goodbye Weblog and having to try and be interesting on a regular basis… Goodbye.

Multilateralism or naked yoga?

Multilateralism or naked yoga?.... New York has both!

Not only the busiest but also the hottest few weeks at the UN so far! New York is in a heat-wave. Security men and sniffer-dogs lurk in the last remnants of shade and for once the dark, dank and thankfully cool recesses of the UN basement conference rooms are a welcome retreat from the fried-egg pavements.

A snap shot of the last 6 weeks: Finally getting more contact with missions, NRA campaign against UN gun summit, Angelique Kidjo making diplomats dance, HIV Aids summit and celebs in the GA, scary American suburbs straight out of Friday 13, hot hot hot A-train north, daily strategy sessions at the small arms conference, loving the Bishop of Mozambique, disliking Bolton’s political appointee on the US mission who I accidentally had drinks with, loving strategic NGOs, loving the Canadian mission, herding cats- I mean coordinating the ecumenical network on small arms, bad French dinner discussions on Haiti and better French mission discussions, strategy session on Colombia – Human rights of IDPs, too far away from fireworks, naked yoga and yes they do let off fire hydrants in NY in the summer!

However, what has been one of the most interesting, fruitful and involved parts of my year has also been one of the more frustrating. The closer you get to influencing decision-making, the harder it can be to feel effective.

Small Arms: Despite the strong and coordinated presence of over 200 civil society organizations through IANSA the UN Small Arms Review Conference ended without an agreement, due in large part to the United States, but aided by others like Iran, Israel, India, Pakistan and Cuba. An interesting bunch of allies!

Nevertheless the strength, voice and strategic work of civil society organizations was some of the best I have seen this year and it included a strong church presence coordinated by the WCC and headed up by Bishop Sengulane of Mozambique, well-known to Christian Aid.

Unfortunately there was also quite a strong presence by the international version of the US gun lobby and NRA who waged quite a vicious campaign to sabotage the conference. (Just as an aside, did you know that the NRA’s suggestion as to how to solve the genocide in Darfur/Sudan is to parachute guns into refugee camps!!!)

Working on Haiti:As we approach the date for the Security Council renewal of the UN force in Haiti, violence in that country is once again on the rise after the lull of the post-election period and world cup. A meeting with representatives from the Security Council and friends of Haiti member states that I had worked to host with World Vision and the Canadian Mission went well, but concluded by recognizing the long-term challenges without being able to agree on action to address them.

Security Council and Middle East: As I write, fighting has erupted and escalated on the Israeli-Lebanese border and the UN Security Council is unable to act under threat of US veto, making me agree for once with those who lament the UN and what it is supposed to do. Even the call for countries to provide troops for a UN peacekeeping force for the border area, which should at least be some kind of action, rings an alarm bell after the Haiti meeting recognized the global lack of funds and appropriate troops for UN missions - meaning that this might compete for funding and personnel needed in Haiti.

I have witnessed a great deal of frustration over the last year. Frustration with what the UN isn’t doing, frustration with what it is, and frustration with what member states do and don’t do within the UN. A key lesson has been that frustration and multilateral decision-making processes go hand in hand. No one ever gets all of what they want, but sometimes some people get some of what they want, and if we work effectively sometimes those people are us.

What is certain is that member states act strongly on issues on which they are monitored closely at home. This has to become the entry point for civil society engagement in the UN; holding member states to account for their commitments in their home capitals, in the media and at the ballot boxes.

Ex-CA Job oportunities in NY: The land of opportunity provides yet again... Bethan Cobley will be leaving Christian Aid this summer after 3 years working as the Senior Policy Officer for Asia. Some NY ideas for new jobs...

1) Secretary General of the UN: Not a lot of people actually want this job at the moment and there are many people who feel that it is time for a female SG when Kofi's time comes to an end in Dec 2006. Plus it is considered by some to be Asia's turn to have a candidate so Beth's time in Sri Lanka will hold her in good stead

2) US Ambassador to the UN: John Bolton's time is running out and as a recess political appointee he will have to finish his term in late 2006 with the congressional elections. It may seem like a long shot, but Cobley's credentials as a hardened girl from the Welsh hills will appeal to the US administration's love for small town folks and for stronger ties with its UK allies. On the plus side you could systematically undermine all US policy from the inside out!

3) Yoga teacher to the garment-challenged in NY: Yes, you guessed it the latest craze to hit the streets of NY is Naked Yoga, or rather Clothing Optional Yoga. Positions like the downward-facing dog or salute to the sun (moon?) might never be the same again and there is money to be made in leading this unlikely band of nudents through their paces!

4) Lead singer in hardened rocker Tommy Lee's new band! The latest reality TV show in the US sees singers throughout the world competing for the chance to front the next big rock band of the new millennia! Not unlike the selection process for the next UN SG, candidates will have to growl their way through countless thrash metal anthems and rock ballads whilst being whittled down to a measly handful and judged weekly by Tommy and the band. Eat your heart out Simon Cowell! Whilst conceivably an agony of unknown degree this job could at least be a launch pad for a one-woman cheeky girl outfit or reality spin off!

5) Microphone technician to Bush: Very simple job, point to the microphones around him and indicate when on, "ON, Mr President, yes that one is ON! I said ON!..... Oh Christ!" Then again perhaps not so easy.

The heat is on....

It’s getting hot in the city!!!…. Hot in the city!!!!.... I began to see why it is that the UN HQ closes down in the summer months as the heat in New York started to climb this week. Perhaps it is somewhat ironic then that the figure of global warming loomed its head to coincide with the Commission on Sustainable Development being held the last two weeks focusing on the issues of energy and climate change.

http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/review.htm

.

Dr David Hallman from the United Church of Canada coordinating the climate change programme for the WCC dropped into the city, along with Marijke Van Duin from the European Christian Environmental Network and once again our office became the internet café for the Christian world.

However, the important dignitary whose presence meant I had to be searched/mauled on the way to the conference room café when security went into lock-down wasn’t here for the Commission on Sustainable Development. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came for the meeting of the Quartet on Israel/Palestine (US, EU, UN, Russia) who agreed to set up an emergency trust fund to enable humanitarian aid to go to Palestinians whilst still not channeling funds through the Hamas government. Not a long term solution to the deteriorating situation.

But Conde isn't the only American with high security concerns/paranoia, the US Ambassador to the Security Council is the only Ambassador to have two body guards accompany him around the building…. Obviously the US are rather aware of their popularity within the UN.

April offered a rare opportunity for some indirect influence within one of the UN Economic Justice processes, Financing for Development (FFD), as I found myself drafting the civil society presentation for the plenary of the Special High Level meeting of the Economic and Social Council with the World Bank, IMF, WTO and UNCTAD on April 24^th.  The presentation was given by Wahu Kaara from the Kenya Debt Relief Network and formerly the MDG Programme Coordinator for the All African Conference of Churches and was drawn together from three different working groups on the FFD process so comprised direct input from around 25 organisations.

In the end Wahu and I worked from the input to produce a short presentation and a longer document that was circulated to the Finance Ministers, ECOSOC state representatives, WB, IMF and WTO directors and a total of 260 participants of the meeting. In quite an unprecedented (and prohibited) move, Wahu’s presentation was the only one to receive a long, loud round of applause. But the moving forward the development agenda at the UN continues to be an uphill struggle. (Photos can be seen on the weblog and the the comprehensive civil society document that was circulated is available on the UN FfD website

http://www.un.org/docs/ecosoc/meetings/2006/bwi2006/civil.society.pdf

)

In May my work plans for the moment focus on preparation for the UN Review Conference for the Programme of Action on Small Arms. Basically a kind of gun summit happening in the summer when states will have to show how they have complied with commitments to address the illegal trade in small arms over the last 5 years and to agree new commitments for the next 5 years.

Linking in closely with IANSA - the International Action Network on Small Arms, and ENSA - the Ecumenical Network on Small Arms (made up of Churches and Church based organisations working on the small arms issue) we are exploring opportunities of adding the voice of the Churches to the call for strong and binding small arms legislation. Current plans include a Multi-faith service enabling faith groups to share their positions and support for addressing the small arms question and to set a moral tone for the conference ahead, followed by a reception with hopefully the Special Rapporteur on Children in Armed Conflict giving a presentation on the links to the Small Arms issue. We also hope to be joined during the conference by Bishop Sengulane of Mozambique, that some of you might know, to speak about the Churches role in addressing and advocating for an end to gun violence.

Meetings on Colombia and Haiti also feature in the mix and a trip to the UK to see family and to drop by Christian Aid head quarters to catch up with activities there. The countdown to the end of my term has started in my head as we look across to the General Assembly in September and at the end of which I shall be finishing my time with the WCC UN office, hopefully to handover to another secondment. But as restructuring and strategic planning continues in the WCC the future work or staff of the UN office remains unclear.

The Pakistani President doesn't like litter....

... or so it seems as we had 50 security men outside the UN Church Centre offices radioing everyone and their mother in an effort to remove the bags of rubbish that were a potential security risk and eye sore to the visit of Pakistani President Musharraf. Apparently the security risk was alleviated by the parking of a black Mercedes in front of them so they couldn't be seen from the road.

Neil the doorman was amused (he is permanently amused, slightly disturbing) as there seems to be a perpetual animosity between honest hardworking building staff in and around the UN and the security men who make their lives hell with the variety of different protocols and security procedures that go with any kind of head of state visit.

During the World Summit in Sept 2005 you couldn't get within 2 blocks of the UN HQ whilst over 100 heads of state met to be photographed and email out the agreed summit document that had been negotiated by their staff. Those of us privileged enough to have a UN grounds pass were able to access our buildings, but only after wading through a sea of sniffer dogs. We still have one residual sniffer dog left over, she looks like Goldie from Blue Peter and she sits outside the UNICEF building to stop people taking explosives to work.

Update on recent events or work of the WCC UN office (Can you guess which ones I have cut and pasted from the information sharing mailout?):

• Small Arms

Draft documents have begun being circulated for negotiation in the run up to the Review Conference in June/July. It proposes to be the '2nd World Gun Summit' if you read IANSA correctly, but the US, India, Pakistan and Egypt would have it differently.

Member states and civil society met in the New York Small Arms Forum in early March to try and ensure that there is an informal negotiation space in NY in the run up to the summit. The Geneva Forum has been running a similar set of meetings since the Programme of Action on Small Arms was first agreed in 2001.

• Participation in the Ecumenical Advocacy Days

I attended the Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington DC last month over the weekend of March 10th-13th. Around 1000 Christians from different regions and denominations throughout the US came together for 3 days of workshops and discussions and a wide range of issues including global security and nuclear weapons, economic justice, concerns for Africa, priorities for the Middle- East amongst others.

Hearing from experts working on these issues in the churches, church agencies, and in some cases from people from the regions, the participants then met with their representatives on the Monday to lobby them with regards to concerns raised.

In its third year now, and going from strength to strength by the looks of things, the Ecumenical Advocacy Days are an innovative way for grassroots church goers and Christian's working on social justice issues to come together, educate each other and strategize about how to make a difference.

The only weakness really is the wide range of issues being discussed which means that the messages that government officials receive are somewhat fragmented. It is well worth a look to explore more about this initiative by going to http://www.advocacydays.org/

• Seminar at UN Church Centre as part of the week of International Church Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel (See photos)

The WCC-CCIA UN office also collaborated with the NGO working group on Israel Palestine at the UN to hold a presentation by EAPPI volunteers during the week of International Church Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel, March 12th-19th. Churches on five continents joined churches in Palestine and Israel in a week of events to raise profile. Highlights included 50 people from eight countries paying a solidarity visit to Jerusalem and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, a conference in London organized by the Middle East Forum of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) and Christian Aid, the Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington DC, a worship service in Cape Town's St George's Cathedral, and a symposium on morally responsible investment in the Netherlands.

• Following UN reform agenda including the recent vote on the UN Human Rights Council

After five months of negotiations, regrettably, consensus could not be forged to agree the new Resolution for the Human Rights Council. However, despite US rejection (along with Israel, Palau and the Marshall Islands - firm voting pals) a massive General Assembly majority adopted the draft resolution. The new body will replace the Human Rights Commission, discredited for its failure to respond to evident human rights violations and to limited credibility due to the problems of membership characterized as habitual human rights abusers.

• Visit to Christian Aid - En route to WCC strategic planning

I greatly enjoyed having a chance to see friends and colleagues when I popped back into the office whilst in the UK to visit family. Like a prodigal daughter I was welcomed with open arms in some quarters and welcoming nods in others (Forgot that the Brits are less touchy feely - keep being hugged or given three kisses in Geneva - which is too much in anyone's book!).

I did run into a couple of comments saying that I appeared to be particularly pro-UN now and didn't I think it was thoroughly useless, inefficient and bureaucratic intergovernmental organisation.... And I have to say it somewhat took me a back within CA. I meet quite a few anti-UN people in the US, (mainly those who feel that you should reduce the role of government at any level including international, arm everyone with guns and deny them health care!).

I can't see how, if we are working towards holding governments to account for world poverty and injustice on a global level we could not be in favour of a global governance system. That the UN is flawed or limited in what it delivers (particularly to the global south) and that it must change has been in many ways the project of the UN reform agenda. Well, at least it has been part of the agenda, along with geopolitical power battles etc.

There is a whole discussion here that I will have to share at another time, but suffice it to say that working in and around the UN has made me realise how increasingly vital it is that member states are held accountable to the commitments they make at UN level by their citizens. Whilst this happens more often in some areas, like human rights, NGOs and churches must increasingly factor them into their advocacy and campaign asks.

The next installment will touch on my participation in the WCC strategic planning meetings and may be entitled 'What is an objective?' or alternatively... 'Why I think Martin Kyndt is a God'.

Photos from UN reform seminar in January

Just a quick note to point towards some images I have uploaded from the UN reform seminar which brought together around 25 church representatives and experts to discuss the issue of UN reform in workshops and also in a public plenary held in the UN HQ.

The current excitement at the UN is the Commission on the Status of Women which means that for once UN HQ is possibly more full with females than men. The old suited guard sit shiftily, smoking their cigarettes in the corners of the Viennesse cafe in the basement and waiting for the women to go home.

Whilst I was in Brazil, getting shock therapy from the taxi drivers that see traffic lights as mere suggestions, the Commission on Social Development was held in New York and opened by a presentation from Claire Short ( you'd wondered where she'd got to). The Commission itself, although an opportunity to move forward the agenda from the UN World Summit, was limited by political wranglings and no offical outcome document was produced. For more info on this please give me a comment or email me at kni@wcc-coe.org

Saw old CA colleague and current CA consultant Morag Burnett on Monday night. Fabulous to catch up and hang out in her gorgeous appartment overlooking the Chrysler Building, Empire States, Upper East Side and Trump World Tower. The next photo instalment will have to be from Hello style, at home with the Burnett/Mackensie-Smith's. That is when my boyfriend and I have managed to find the cord that connects the digital camera to the computer... yes very clever!

Latest from WCC Assembly, Brazil

The WCC 9th Assembly continues to play host to around 4000 church delegates, observers and participants in Porto Alegre, Brazil this week in a mixture of both dry decision-making and carnival atmosphere.

For the most part I am working with the public issues committee that officially agrees on the policy statements that will come from the Assembly, but I have also enjoyed meeting up with Christian Aid staff and partners from Latin America.  Just how many decisions are actually made at the Assembly and how many are decided before hand is something that I am still trying to figure out. Not too unlike summits at the UN then!

So far some of the star events have been a visit by President Lula of Brazil, an address by Archbishop Rowan Williams, heated plenary debate over the AGAPE project challenging the Neoliberal Economic agenda, some powerful discussion workshops and worship from around the world in a huge circus tent. Archbishop Desmond Tutu arrived today.

For the latest stories coming from the plenary check out the website http://www.wcc-assembly.info/ As well as info on the above highlights a couple of examples include...

Aids Youth Urge Action for Protection from HIV/Aids: " It is now or never," remarked Dr Christoph Benn during an ecumenical conversation on the theme of HIV/Aids at the 9th Assembly of the WCC. A resource person from Germany with broad international experience in public health, Benn was giving an overview of the crisisn and its impact worldwide and demanding that the churches act to address it.

US Christian Leaders Apologies to Assembly Plenary on Violence, poverty and ecology: Representatives of the US Conference for the World Council of Churches (WCC) addressed a message to the WCC's 9th Assembly on 18 February saying that the US-led Iraq war was a "mistake", and apologized to the ecumenical community.

The unofficial stories continue to be a bit more interesting as the letter from US churches has been led on FOX News and has elicited fire and brimstone from some in the US which Deborah, the head of the US office has the fun job of receiving. Also, there are the secret meetings on sexuality issues for those that dare not speak there name in the more traditional churches. There are mutterings of youth rebellion in the ranks and clandestine strategy meetings about storming the stages, but that hasn't happened yet!

And there is the glorious contentious issue of PEAD to offer up amusing tales. I hear that speakers at the official presentation dinner at City Hotel failed to be put off their network launch despite the backdrop of a silent widescreen tv playing nude scenes and bedroom antics! But as no one offered to turn off the tv one can only wonder at how interested in PEAD the majority are!..

Lots of Caipirinha and Latin spirit abound, but sadly not enough to take away from some of the speakers for whom 2 minutes means 40 A4 pages worth. It had been good to see Daleep and Alison and hear the news from Christian Aid. I am also enjoying meeting other Christian Aid staff and board members participating. Back to New York on the 20th February when hopefully the statement I have been working on is accepted by the Plenary.

New Assembly Photos

On Wed 15th, Christian Aid hosted a meeting and reception with all partners from the 'Latin America Caribbean' region who are participating in the WCC General Assembly. 

Daleep Mukarji (Christian Aid's director) gave a presentation outlining the new strategic plan and addressed concerns about decentralisation and the proposed PEAD network.  Partners were strong in their support of CA’s partnership approach, stressing that this should remain as the heart of our work. 

The meeting was also attended by Alison Kelly and Paul Clelland (there as a delegate of the Church of Scotland), as well as Christian Aid board members attending the Assembly on behalf of their churches. 

Your blogmistress - Katherine Nightingale - also attended and helped with the various translations.  Check out the photoblog in the left hand column for images from this meeting.

Council Assembly

The 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches is currently meeting in Porto Alegre through to 23 February 2006.  The assembly is addressing the theme "God, in your grace, transform the world". The Assembly will be a time of encounter, prayer, celebration and deliberation for thousands of Christian women and men from around the world - and a chance for a few Christian Aid staff to send in their photos from the event.

Check out the photo blog here and the official assembly web site here.

UN reform, Haiti, Small Arms, Conference call with Nigel Varndell... but still not quite as exciting as Tajikistan

So... my little blogette is feeling woefully inadequate now next to the meteoric fame of the Tajikistan travels... I have a good mind to delete them with my access to editing privileges!

But no.. instead I shall conform to theories of market competition and endeavor to be a bit more interesting and at least put up some photos of the office and the UN.

January has seen some pretty interesting, but stressful events:

- The WCC UN office held our seminar on UN reform from the 11th to the 13th January and welcomed experts from around the world and churches to a 3 day event in New York. It was a frantic but exciting time as we debated the current UN reform progress, drafted a WCC statement and organized a plenary and public discussion in the UN HQ with keynote speaker Ambassador Eliasson the President of the General Assembly. (Photos to follow shortly!)

- Back to back this event coincided with the Small Arms Prep Com, a 2 week series of meetings intended to prepare the agenda and consensus building for the Review Conference on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons happening in July this year. My work consisted of monitoring the meetings along with my colleague Jonathan Frerichs from the WCC office in Geneva, organizing a side event on the Small Arms Referendum in Brazil led by the Brazilian churches, and coordinating meetings with key states for representatives of the Ecumenical Network on Small Arms and WCC.

- More recently the run up to elections in Haiti and the date for renewal of the MINUSTAH, the UN military force in Haiti, has given NGOs and Church groups working in Haiti some greater access to the Friends of Haiti missions. A meeting with representatives of the US, France, Canada, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and UN Dept of Peace Keeping led to some useful contacts and information about plans for post-election Haiti. But mostly this seem to consist of waiting and seeing who wins and what the state of play is like before once again moving forward on key areas like disarmament, development, judicial reform etc.

- Work with the Israel Palestine NGO working group at the UN has strengthened in the last months and what should I find whilst participating in a conference call on the International Church Advocacy Week on Palestine/Israel than our own Mr Varndell. Gracing the call with his dulcet tones he proceeded to shame the rest of the world with the extensive list of what is going on in the UK during this week in March. This side of the pond it is being part of a series of Ecumenical Advocacy Days held annually in Washington and with the new found interest of the NGO working group on the I/P there will hopefully be a public event held at the UN in NY also.

Other things on the horizon are:

• WCC 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil
• Touching base with NGOs on Colombia - end of Feb meeting
• Following the UN reform agenda
• NGO event in March in the run up to spring meetings of World Bank and IMF
• NGO event in April when the World Bank, IMF, WTO come to New York
• Ongoing work for Small Arms Review Conference
• Information sharing through the UN office email list
• Planning on my work focus areas for the WCC UN week in November

My colleague Larry continues to cover the areas of Impunity and the ICC, Africa, Sustainable Development, Children in Armed Conflict, Indigenous issues and aspects of office coordination.

So... its not Tajikistan... but maybe I can live with that... they have better cocktails here -  when if I ever get out of this building early enough to enjoy them that is!

News and New Year

The delay in my posting another blog is an indication of how busy things have been since the beginning of Dec. Key events include dropping into the Christian Aid office on stop over to an International Affairs team retreat at the WCC in Geneva. Preparation for the three day seminar on UN reform we are holding next week in preparation for the WCC Assembly and also in theory to make some timely public comments. And the Preparatory Committee meetings on Small Arms for a 5 year review of the Programme of Action on Small Arms conference in June/July this year. Trying to work on many things at once is interesting but is also an indication of the challenge of focusing down that the WCC faces as much as other organisations.

Meetings at Christian Aid: We had a useful meeting with members of GAPD and IDPOs to discuss some of the work of the WCC UN office and Christian Aid's thinking around a strategy for working in the US and towards the IFIs and the UN. There were some useful points brought up by Johnny Glennie's trip to Washington and New York and some of the experience of Sony Kapoor with US organizations, as well as the knowledge being gained through the secondment. Decisions were made to continue thinking and work on this in the New Year and to try and ensure wide communication between GAPD, IDPOs, Campaigns, Fundraising and other parts of the organisation working in the US. Contact Alison Kelly or Johnny Glennie if you are keen to know more about this.

3-day UN reform seminar: We are now 2 days away hosting 20 representatives from churches, church orgs and WCC commissioners in a 3 day workshop to work on the issue of UN reform. The intention being to build understanding and capacity for commenting on this issue at the WCC Assembly, including issuing a public statement and to hold a public plenary to raise specific concerns regarding where the process has got to and how to ensure that the agreed changes are implemented on the ground. I am hoping we will have a report of the discussions and an evaluation that can be shared more widely.

Prep Com on Small Arms: Working with Jonathan who works on Disarmament issues to hold a side event at the Prep Com looking at the lessons from Brazil's referendum on civilian possession of hand guns where the Churches played a key role and looking at how these lessons might be applied elsewhere. We are coordinating with IANSA (International Advocacy Network on Small Arms) and setting up meetings with key missions for the WCC and Ecumenical Network on Small Arms representatives who will be here in the second week of the prep com (from Jan 16th).

Additional work: Informal working group on Haiti raising concerns re postponement of elections. Starting to try and get more regular meetings of organisations working on Colombia. Getting Jonathan who works on Middle East issues to present to the I/P working group in NY.

I am also keeping my eyes open and trying to learn from those organisations and representatives within the immense NGO presence here at the UN in NY as to who are being most effective and how do they work. There seem to be two key strategies that work well but for different reasons: the classic effective NGO strategy of focused objectives and issues, targeting of key states at the UN in combination with messages being given in capitals and in Geneva, working for specific goals, resolutions/wording/implementation etc; and the second way of working being to take up a particular issue and try and get it taken on board within the variety of NGO working groups and networks (however effective), essentially working the NGOs and mobilizing them on your issue. In some ways it seems like the differing but complementary skills of specific lobbying and advocacy, and the movement building or campaigning work within civil society - a microcosm of what perhaps we try to do as an organisation with our supporters, constituency and governments. And here, just as there, the best results come from being able to combine both approaches.

Well somewhere in the midst of this came birthday, Christmas and New Year, family, friends, New York, and a trip to London and Lower Marsh.