15 May 2014

SHARES News Items Overview: 16 April 2014-15 May 2014

This is our News Items Overview of 16 April 2014-15 May 2014, a summary of recent news relating to shared responsibility. (more…)

14 May 2014

Ending the illegal wildlife trade is a shared responsibility, says UN crime chief

On 13 May at a special event in Vienna, Yury Fedotov, the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), urged the international community to ‘come together at the highest political level’ to end wildlife and forest crime. Fedotov further warned that ‘[t]he rate of poaching is such that a number of iconic and lesser known species risk being wiped out over the next decade – and we will all bear responsibility for those losses.’ It is a shared responsibility to prevent such losses, stressed Fedotov. (more…)

Source: UN News Centre | UN crime chief urges global action to disrupt ‘ruthless’ illegal wildlife trade

13 May 2014

UK personnel stationed on US base from which drone strikes are launched

On 12 May, The Guardian reported that the British Ministry of Defence revealed that British officers are based on the US military base in Djibouti, from which drone strikes against presumed terrorists in Yemen are launched. According to the Minster of Defence Mark Francois, ‘[the three officers] work within the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) and are responsible for planning and supporting US military operations in the region. As embedded military personnel within a US headquarters they come under the command and control of the US armed forces, but remain subject to UK law, policy and military jurisdiction.’ (more…)

Source: The Guardian | UK troops working with US military at base for Yemen drone operations
Source: Human Rights Watch | A Wedding That Became a Funeral - US Drone Attack on Marriage Procession in Yemen | 2014

11 May 2014

Australia urged to stop shifting responsibility and to start sharing responsibility for irregular movement of people

Indonesian foreign Minister, Marty Natalegawa launched a veiled attack on Australian policy, saying the region should be looking at ‘shared responsibility’ for the irregular movement of refuges, ‘not shifting responsibility’. The remark represented the opening statement of a conference that was opened on 5 May in Jakarta in order to discuss the protection of refugees in the region. 15 states, including Australia took part in this conference. (more…)

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald | UN representatives criticise Abbott government's boat tow-back policy

7 May 2014

UN officials stress need for comprehensive accountability framework to ensure development progress beyond 2015

According to UNGA President John Ashe, “[t]he move to a universal development agenda will require an accountability mechanism that is comprehensive and flexible, yet robust, holding different actors to account according to their differing responsibilities.” He said “[t]he time to begin this work is now (…) a global monitoring and accountability framework will need to be an integral part of our ongoing discussions on the design of a post-2015 development agenda and its implementation.” (more…)

Source: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon | Latest Statements | Secretary-General's remarks at the Interactive Dialogue of the President of the General Assembly on Elements for an Accountability Framework for the Post-2015 Development Agenda | New York, 1 May 2014
Source: Remarks by H.E. Mr. John W. Ashe, President of the 68th Session of the United Nations, General Assembly | Interactive Dialogue of the President of the General Assembly | "Elements for an Accountability Framework for the Post-2015 Development Agenda" | Opening Session | New York, 1 May 2014