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Ukrainians & Russians Should Abide by Human Rights Law | Volker Türk | Global Stage | GZERO Media

Fighting crimes against humanity in a world of crisis

Volker Türk, the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is surprisingly candid about one of his organization's most famous shortcomings.

The Security Council, which includes Russia as a permanent member, is "dysfunctional" on Ukraine. On the other hand, he adds, the General Assembly has seen a sort of revival in how much it's been able to help the country.

In a Global Stage delegate interview on the ground in Davos, Türk tells Ian Bremmer that believes it is critical that the Ukrainians, just as much as the Russians, abide by international human rights law. And he's been in close contact with the Ukrainian prosecutor general, who assures him he is investigating potential war crimes within his country's military.

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UN Official: Security Council Is “Dysfunctional” - But UN Is Not | GZERO World

UN official: Security Council Is “dysfunctional” - but UN is not

Volker Türk, the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is surprisingly candid about one of his organization's most famous shortcomings.

The Security Council, which includes Russia as a permanent member, is "dysfunctional" on Ukraine, while the General Assembly has seen a sort of revival in how much it's been able to help the country.

In a GZERO World interview on the ground in Davos, Türk tells Ian Bremmer that believes it is critical that the Ukrainians, just as much as the Russians, abide by international human rights law. And he's been in close contact with the Ukrainian prosecutor general, who assures him he is investigating potential war crimes within his country's military.

Read moreShow less

Podcast: Davos, meet humility: grappling with Russia & egregious violations of international law

Listen: For the 53rd time, a tiny town called Davos in the Swiss Alps became the epicenter for discussion and debate about some of the biggest issues the world is facing. In total, 2700 leaders from 130 countries attended the 2023 World Economic Forum, including 52 heads of state. The big theme of the event this year: cooperation in a fragmented world. Is it possible?

On the ground at Davos, Ian Bremmer interviews two prominent participants on the GZERO World podcast. Former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb analyzes Crimea's crucial importance for Ukraine in the war against Russia, and explains how Finland views its aggressive eastern neighbor. Ian also speaks to Volker Türk, the newly-appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who shares very candid views about the Security Council's track record so far on Ukraine, and discusses the need for a UN unified stance on the treatment of women to ensure basic their human rights around the world, especially in countries like Afghanistan.

TRANSCRIPT


António Guterres: Ukraine War United NATO, but Further Divided the World | GZERO World

António Guterres: Ukraine war united NATO, but further divided the world

Russia invaded Ukraine with impunity — and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres fears it may not be the last middle-sized power to pick a fight without consequence in the near future because global security governance is largely bankrupt.

"The capacity of deterrence that would exist if the whole powers, with the security council, will be able to say, 'This can't be done,' is not there," he tells Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.

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At UN, Ukraine War Launches “New Debate” on Russia | Global Stage | GZERO Media

Why is Russia on the UN Security Council?

“The UN is back,” said Melissa Fleming, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. In an interview with GZERO Media on the sidelines of the 77th General Assembly, Fleming reflected on the return to in-person diplomacy after years of disruption caused by pandemic.

“There is this real feeling that the UN is the only place for global cooperation,” she said. “We cannot solve the world's intractable problems of climate change, of war, of refugees without multilateralism, and multilateralism is the UN. It is nations working together to solve problems.”

In the interview, Fleming also acknowledged that the collision of recent global crises had created uncertainty about the power of multilateralism. But she said recent diplomatic efforts lead by the UN, including the Black Sea grain initiative to help mitigate a growing food insecurity crisis, have brought renewed energy.

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Conundrum: Russian Food Can Prevent Starvation by the World’s Poor | GZERO World

Conundrum: Russian food can prevent starvation by the world's poor

Russia's war in Ukraine has put the international community in a tough spot.

Sanctions against Russia that affect global food commodities will make people go hungry, especially in the Global South. But then the Russians will continue to profit from selling all that food.

So, who should make that call? Ertharin Cousin, who knows a thing or two about the United Nations because she used to run its World Food Programme, says it's time for the UN Security Council to step in.

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