International Relations
Next Steps in the Sovereign Debt Restructuring Debate
CIGI is co-hosting an Expert Group Meeting on sovereign debt restructuring at the United Nations tomorrow. The meeting will be held against a backdrop of intensifying concerns about the future of the single European currency and the potential disruption that could result from a Greek exit from the euro zone. In this regard, after a hiatus of several years the unfolding crisis in Greece reanimates the debate on sovereign debt restructuring that raged a decade or more ago.
Lloyd Axworthy to give public lecture on Arab Spring, deliver keynote to global governance students in Waterloo
Lloyd Axworthy, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Winnipeg, will participate in two events at the CIGI Campus while in Waterloo, on May 24 and May 25, 2012. While serving as Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Axworthy became internationally known for his advancement of the human security concept, and he continues to be active in discussions on global affairs.
The Evolving Role of the G20
In considering the evolving role of the G20, it is worth reflecting upon the factors that shaped the group’s original mandate. As the first decade of the new century progressed, it became increasingly clear that the international balance of power had shifted, but the institutional framework, which sought to manage the global economy, had not adapted to reflect this new reality. The financial crisis of 2008 forced the leading economic powers (notably the US, where the crisis originated) to confront the need to integrate the emerging economies more effectively into international economic decision making.
The Euro Zone’s Hour of Decision
The euro zone’s steady inexorable crisis has accelerated as efforts to form a Greek government failed and new elections were called.
Risk, Uncertainty and the Problem of Adjustment
Efforts to form a new government in Athens failed over the weekend, raising the prospects of new elections and Greece’s possible exit from the eurozone. Financial markets have responded predictably: equity prices are down while bond yields are at new euro-era highs in Spain, but down in Germany. Meanwhile, ominous warnings issue forth from Brussels about a possible amicable divorce between Greece and its euro zone partners.
The Rise of the BRICS
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision not to attend the G8 summit later this week can be read as a sign of Mr. Putin’s displeasure with those who question the legitimacy of his return to the Russian presidency, writes Senior Fellow Gregory Chin.
The Victory of Hollande
The victory of France’s Francois Hollande and the Greek fringe parties in Sunday’s elections will do more than change the discourse in Europe from austerity to growth. Over the coming weeks, the crisis of confidence will move from the streets and into the European capitals’ hallways of power.
Kick Argentina out of the G20? Absurd
Expelling Argentina from the G20 "would be the beginning of the end" for the international leaders forum, writes CIGI Chair of Global Governance Jorge Heine.
Time to update the Millennium Development Goals
In an op-ed to The Toronto Star, CIGI Senior Fellow Barry Carin argues that "Canadians should pay attention and influence the coming debate" on the future of United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
Cut those shameless perks of international diplomacy
In an op-ed for The Globe and Mail, Thomas Tieku argues that "the spinoffs and savings from perks have turned well-meaning civil servants and aid disbursers into professional travellers."
Will the G20 Cry Over Argentina?
I have been in Mexico City for a pre-G20 event at the prestigious Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México or ITAM. This conference, among many other matters, allowed me to reflect on the status of the country that has become a significant outlier at the global top table: Argentina.
Carleton prof to head CIGI global security research program
The Ottawa Citizen reports on Fen Osler Hampson joining CIGI as a distinguished fellow and director of the global security research program.
The Challenge for Rio+20: Countering Two Decades of Inaction
To mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit, the United Nations is holding its Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012. For a better understanding of the issues at play and a sense of what to expect from “Rio+20,” we talk to CIGI Distinguished Fellow David Runnalls.
CIGI appoints Fen Osler Hampson as a Distinguished Fellow and Director of Global Security research program
The Centre for International Governance Innovation is pleased to announce the appointment of Fen Osler Hampson as a Distinguished Fellow and Director of the Global Security research program, effective July 1, 2012.
Les Casques bleus débarquent en Syrie (Article in French)
In an interview with La Presse, CIGI Distinguished Fellow Louise Frechette comments that the UN mission in Syria is "an important set in the implementation of the Annan Plan." She comments that "the reality is that, currently, there is no alternative plan."
A tale of two very different summits
"The outcomes could not have been more different — one a resounding success, the other a remarkable fiasco," writes CIGI Distinguished Fellow Jorge Heine in comparing the recent BRICS summit and the Summit of the Americas.
The Woman Who Could Have Led the World Bank
I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speak yesterday at the Brookings Institution. She is a known figure in economics as the Nigerian minister of finance, but is even more known today for having challenged the US-European convention of having an American at the helm of the World Bank.
Angelina Jolie’s UN Refugee Agency status puts spotlight on pros and cons of ‘celebrity diplomacy’
In a NY Daily News article on Angelina Jolie being named the Special Envoy of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, CIGI Distinguished Fellow Andrew Cooper says "there is a great danger in overdoing it and pretending to be an expert where you're not...Celebrities need to have finesse about these things — pick your spots, pick your expertise and pick your issues, but don't overdo it."
Celebrities ‘crossing the line’ on global issues: silly behavior or saying the unsaid?
The intense controversy over the praise accorded to Fidel Castro by Ozzie Guillen, manager of baseball’s Miami Marlins (in an interview with Time magazine) illustrates the wide-spectrum of reactions to the intrusion of figures from the world of entertainment into the world of global politics. When celebrities say silly things, commonly with respect to some form of conspiracy theory involving international relations, they grab attention for themselves, but not for the issue they are talking about.
CIGI paper by former UN deputy secretary-general assesses post-Cold War peacekeeping efforts and reforms
United Nations peacekeeping, “still the best tool available for the international community to help post-conflict states,” has been the object of numerous reforms over the last two decades, giving the UN a much-needed professional capacity to command, control and manage increasingly complex missions says a new report by CIGI.