Diplomatic practices at the United Nations

2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Wiseman
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Member State ◽  
Institutional Change ◽  
Practice Theory ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
Un Reform ◽  
Specific Practice ◽  
State Actors ◽  
Narrow Context

This article considers the importance of informal, practice-based change as opposed to formal change at the UN. I first evaluate UN reform, showing that diplomacy and institutional change within the UN system are better understood as having evolved less from major, formal reform of the UN Charter (‘the Charter’) than from minor changes in routine practices. I then examine what practice theory and diplomatic studies can learn from each other in terms of how each views the role of leading individuals, illustrating specific practice-based change in relation to the Secretary-General’s role. Next, I show how the appointment process for a new Secretary-General has evolved through informal practice, after which I advance an argument that UN diplomatic practices should be considered not only within the narrow context of a formal diplomatic corps of member state diplomats but also as part of an informal, wider diplomatic community of diplomats and non-state actors. Practice theory helps students of diplomacy think more abstractly and systematically about mundane diplomatic practices. Students of diplomacy can help guide practice theory toward empirical diplomatic activities that are often internalized and taken for granted. I conclude that a dialog between the two fields will promote a better understanding of diplomacy as undervalued practices.

The UN Secretary-General and the Security Council

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Security Council ◽  
United Nations Security Council ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
Organizational Relationships ◽  
Dynamic Relationship ◽  
International Mediation ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
The Relationship

The United Nations Secretary-General and the United Nations Security Council spend significant amounts of time on their relationship with each other. They rely on each other for such important activities as peacekeeping, international mediation, and the formulation and application of normative standards in defense of international peace and security—in other words, the executive aspects of the UN’s work. The edited book The UN Secretary-General and the Security Council: A Dynamic Relationship aims to fill an important lacuna in the scholarship on the UN system. Although there exists an impressive body of literature on the development and significance of the Secretariat and the Security Council as separate organs, an important gap remains in our understanding of the interactions between them. Bringing together some of the most prominent authorities on the subject, this volume is the first book-length treatment of this topic. It studies the UN from an innovative angle, creating new insights on the (autonomous) policy-making of international organizations and adding to our understanding of the dynamics of intra-organizational relationships. Within the book, the contributors examine how each Secretary-General interacted with the Security Council, touching upon such issues as the role of personality, the formal and informal infrastructure of the relationship, the selection and appointment processes, as well as the Secretary-General’s threefold role as a crisis manager, administrative manager, and manager of ideas.

Treaty-Making at the United Nations

2019 ◽  
pp. 50-68
Author(s):  
Stephen Mathias
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Multistage Process ◽  
Its Analysis ◽  
Un General Assembly ◽  
Multilateral Treaty ◽  
Multilateral Treaties

Beginning in the mid-1970s, the UN General Assembly conducted a review of the multilateral treaty-making process. A 1980 Report of the Secretary-General on this review concluded that there was “extensive diversity” among the various procedures that had been utilized in treaty-making processes, including whether such processes made use of established entities or were ad hoc in nature, the extent to which this involved expert or representative bodies, and the extent of the involvement of the General Assembly. The only generalization that was seen to be possible was that such processes almost always involved a multistage process. This chapter assesses the conclusions of the Secretary-General’s 1980 Report in light of the practice of the intervening years, focusing, in particular, on the role of the Secretariat in the treaty-making process, and adopting for the purposes of its analysis the five stages in the multilateral treaty-making process as identified in the Secretary-General’s 1980 Report: initiation of treaty-making, formulation of multilateral treaties, adoption of multilateral treaties, post-adoption concerns, and supplementing and updating treaties. This chapter also briefly discusses other treaty-making activities of the Secretariat.

The Role of the Secretary-General of the United Nations as Depositary of Multilateral Treaties

2019 ◽  
pp. 680-694
Author(s):  
Arancha Hinojal-Oyarbide
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Turn Of The Century ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
Vienna Convention ◽  
Treaty Negotiations ◽  
The World ◽  
Key Features ◽  
Multilateral Treaty ◽  
Multilateral Treaties

While the responsibilities of the depositary of a multilateral treaty are indispensable to the treaty functioning, the role of the depositary is commonly unknown. The chapter discusses the role and key features of the practice of the UN Secretary-General, as depositary of multilateral treaties, in the aspects that correspond to the general depositary functions as codified in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Beginning at the turn of the century, the UN Secretary-General—by far the largest depositary in the world—began to engage in initiatives that have modernized and expanded the traditional depositary role. The UN Secretary-General has increasingly been involved in treaty-making during treaty negotiations, and in promoting participation in and dissemination of UN treaties, including through treaty events. The chapter also discusses key features of the depositary role in those aspects that are more innovative and peculiar to the UN Secretary-General.

The Role of the Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration Under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules

1995 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-192
Author(s):  
Hans Jonkman
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Trade Law ◽  
International Trade Law ◽  
Preparation Period ◽  
The United Nations

On 28 April 1976, after a preparation period of three years, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) adopted by consensus the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. On 15 December 1976, the General Assembly of the United Nations recommended the use of these Rules, and requested the UN Secretary-General to arrange for their widest possible distribution.

Secretariat

1947 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-514
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Advisory Committee ◽  
League Of Nations ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
Retirement Plans ◽  
Working Capital ◽  
Preliminary Information ◽  
Basic Salary ◽  
Staff Recruitment

Administrative and Budgetary Matters: On April 10, 1947, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions met, in its advisory capacity, to deliberate on the form of the 1948 budget and various matters of a financial or administrative nature falling within its competence. Based mainly on reports from the Secretary-General (Trygve Lie), the committee review covered such subjects as 1) auditing procedure, 2) investments of United Nations funds, 3) commitments against the Working Capital Fund, 4) control of expenditures resulting from Council resolutions, 5) loans to specialized agencies, 6) the fund for self-liquidating purchases and activities, 7) procedure for the final valuation of League of Nations assets, 8) form of the 1948 budget, 9) desirability of strengthening the role of the Bureau of the Comptroller by allowing the Comptroller more specific authority, 10) administrative and budgetary relations with the specialized agencies, 11) the need for greater study of United Nations basic salary scales to determine any necessary adjustments, 12) arrangements to conduct surveys concerning Secretariat efficiency and results of work so far accomplished, and 13) preliminary information on workload in departments, United Nations Appeals Board, staff retirement plans, development of Branch Offices and limitation of staff recruitment.

scholarly journals The UN Secretary-General on the global digitalization and international cooperation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 10-13
Author(s):  
A. Guterres
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Digital Revolution ◽  
Human Rights Protection ◽  
Rights Protection ◽  
Honorary Doctor ◽  
The Subject

Nowadays, the establishment of peaceful cooperation between nations depends on the development of digital economy and its regulation. To a certain extent, this new reality challenges the basic principles of the old world and defines some new rules to which humankind is supposed to adapt. On May 13 during his visit to Moscow, Russia, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres was welcomed at MGIMO-University and conferred an Honorary Doctor degree. Following the ceremony, as is tradition, the Secretary-General delivered a doctoral lecture to students and faculty. TheSecretary-General touched on the subject of the consequences of digitalization, its impact on human rights protection and the role of the international community in the era of digital revolution.

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