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28 October 2013
On 28 October, the President of the International Law Commission (ILC) informed the 6th Committee of the General Assembly that the ILC had decided to include in its work programme the topic ‘Protection of the Atmosphere’, but that the work on the topic would proceed in a manner so as not to interfere with relevant political negotiations, including on climate change. Also, it will not deal with, but is also without prejudice to, questions such as liability of states and their nationals, the polluter pays principle, and common but differentiated responsibilities.
The report of the ILC on the work of its 65th Session, available on the UN website, indicates that the outcome of the work on the topic will be draft guidelines that ‘do not seek to impose on current treaty regimes’.
The President made his statement at the start of the consideration by the 6th Committee of the work of the ILC, which will continue in the next few weeks.
Source: United Nations | International Law Commission | Report of the sixty-fifth session (2013) | General Assembly | A/68/10
Source: United Nations | International Law Commission | Current Programme of Work | Protection of the atmosphere
28 October 2013
The United Nations-backed Internet Governance Forum (IGF), reaffirmed at its meeting in Bali the need to strengthen the multi-stakeholder approach to discussing internet governance, as opposed to a government-led multilateral approach. It was acknowledged at the IGF that surveillance is the major emerging issue of the year.
‘New cybersecurity threats and revelations of widespread Internet surveillance are only two of emerging issues that the multi-stakeholder community must address’ said Elia Armstrong of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, also underlining the need for internet governance discussions to feed into the broader processes for global agenda for sustainable development post-2015 and the 2005 World Summit on the Information Society+10 review.
Source: UN News Centre | Surveillance a major concern at conclusion of UN-backed forum on internet governance
28 October 2013
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda, told the UN General Assembly’s main social, humanitarian and cultural body (Third Committee) in New York that cooking, cleaning and caring for children and the elderly should be a social and collective responsibility, rather than fall entirely on women’s shoulders. She warned that unpaid care that is not shared ingrains poverty and social exclusion for women. Furthermore, her report outlines states’ obligations to tackle the unequal distribution of care under existing human rights agreements.
‘In order to truly empower women, we must ensure that unpaid care is better valued, supported and shared – by men and the State’, according to Sepúlveda.
Source: OHCHR | Unpaid care work blocks women’s rights if not shared by men and States – UN expert
27 October 2013
Dutch Minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert has signed a letter of intent with her Belgian colleague Pieter De Crem for joint surveillance of the airspace of the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) on 23 October 2013.
Currently, both Belgium and the Netherlands have separately jet-fighters and pilots on standby to intercept hostile aircrafts in their own airspace, as agreed to in the context of NATO. They both monitor the airspace of Luxembourg, who does not have its own air force. The cooperation is scheduled to begin in 2016, and will save manpower of both countries. Additionally, the Dutch Minister is of the opinion that extensive cooperation with the Belgian air force will guarantee worldwide operational capability of the Dutch air force.
Source: NOS | België en NL bewaken luchtruim (in Dutch)
Source: Rijksoverheid | Samenwerking België bij luchtruimbewaking (in Dutch - Supplement in English)
27 October 2013
On Friday 25 October, Norway declined a request to help destroy Syria’s chemical arsenal. The reasons for the refusal of Norway were constraints of the regulatory framework as well as the time pressure for the destruction of the weapons. The United States keeps trying to identify states that can assist in the destruction of the chemical weapons.
Source: The New York Times | Norway Rejects U.S. Request to Help Destroy Syrian Chemical Weapons