SCOPE OF THE FOGGS UN2100 INITIATIVE
We believe that it is high time to revisit the conceptual and moral foundations of the post-World War II multilateral system, with a view to increasing the latter’s legitimacy and its capacity to meet the challenges facing humanity and our planetary home in the coming quarter century. Through the UN2100 Initiative, FOGGS builds on the expertise of its Executive and Advisory Board members, Secretariat staff, and associated institutions and experts with the overall goal to put forward innovative and practical ideas towards a modern, more effective, ethical and people-centred United Nations, as the central node of global governance arrangements and indispensable tool for tackling shared challenges.
The following papers, proposals and analyses are part of what has been produced up to now under the UN2100 Initiative (in reverse chronological order).
What to do with the United Nations System?
A Taxonomy of Available Options for UN Reform and beyond
There are many calls to ‘fix’ the UN and start a next, better phase in global governance. These calls emanate from diverse critiques of the current multilateral system, including for its lack of effectiveness, its outdated operating principles or its failure to restrain the nuclear arms race and to manage conflicts involving major powers. All this is reflected in the decline in public respect for the UN and the growing feeling that the UN system has become irrelevant, politically at least.
In this Discussion Note, FOGGS offers a taxonomy to help clarify the options available for UN reform and allow a number of initiatives to shine the light on themselves and attract public support. The Note categorizes existing reform proposals into three groups, namely “Reforming the UN for increased effectiveness”, “Rethinking the UN system and its place / role in global governance” and “Drastic revamping of global governance”. Under each main category there is a number of sub-categories. The option of “business as usual”, that is continuing without any reforms, is not considered here.
Our Common Agenda and the Process leading to the UN's 'Summit of the Future'
On 10 September 2021, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released his Our Common Agenda report (OCA) report, in response to a request by the UN Member States included in the ‘Declaration on the Commemoration of the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of the United Nations.’ As a result, FOGGS intensified its efforts to contribute to global governance rethinking and UN reform, with an important milestone expected to be the ‘Summit of the Future’ proposed by the UN Secretary-General to take place in 2023 (but which may be moved to 2024). Some of the FOGGS relevant outputs can be seen on the right.
The Global Resilience Council Revisited
In view of the great interest demonstrated by global governance experts and practitioners, as well as civil society activists about the GRC proposal, FOGGS issued in June 2021 this new paper with a view to taking the rationale for and possible implementation of a GRC forward. The paper is accompanied by a set of slides that present in a visual manner the main points of the GRC proposal.
BRAINSTORMING NOTE
“A ‘Global Resilience Council’: Why and if Yes, How?”
An online brainstorming session under the above title took place on Wednesday, 24 February 2021 under the Chatham House Rule. It was convened by FOGGS to discuss the Foundation’s proposal for the establishment of a “Global Resilience Council” (see November 2020 proposal iteration here). This Brainstorming Note builds on the points raised during the brainstorming session. It aims at advancing the understanding regarding the need served by and alternative modalities for the creation of a “Global Resilience Council” (GRC) and could lead to actual steps towards bringing it about.
Two bold proposals for UN75+25: A New Narrative of Hope and a Global Resilience Council
In the period April to July 2020 FOGGS convened a series of online brainstorming sessions on the UN system’s performance in response to the COVID-19 global emergency. The sessions were held under the Chatham House Rule and participants included country representatives to the United Nations, other country and regional organization officials, current and former international civil servants, academic experts and civil society organizers. The two UN75+25 Proposals presented here are based on ideas exchanged during the brainstorming sessions, as reflected in the papers accessible further down on this page. The “zero draft” format has been adopted for the two proposals to make clear that they are not final but open to discussion for shaping their intricate details. Subsequent iterations of the proposals will incorporate contributions from individuals and groups participating in the ongoing dialogue.
Issues associated with hybrid and virtual working methods of UN system intergovernmental bodies under COVID-19
Drawing on the FOGGS online brainstorming session of 28 July 2020, a Briefing Note was produced on the above subject. The brainstorming was held under the Chatham House Rule and included delegates to and secretariat staff from UN system organizations headquartered in New York, Geneva, Nairobi, Rome, Vienna and Washington DC, corresponding CSO representatives, academic experts, and staff members and advisors of FOGGS. Participants identified a number of issues regarding the evolution of hybrid and virtual intergovernmental meetings, and the rules governing negotiations and decision making in these new spaces.
The UN System and COVID-19
Three papers resulting from an equal number of online brainstorming sessions on the UN system’s performance in response to the COVID-19 global emergency held in the period April to June 2020. The sessions were held under the Chatham House Rule and participants included country representatives to the United Nations, current and former international civil servants, other country and regional organisation officials, academics and civil society organisers. The three papers should be read in conjunction, as they complement each other.
The case for a Committee of the Heads of UN System Governing Bodies
Proposal entitled “Strengthening the UN system: The case for a Committee of the Heads of Governing Bodies” by Dr Harris Gleckman – click here to read the full proposal.
Proposals for a modern, effective, ethical and people-centred United Nations
Discussion paper with “Proposals for a modern, effective, ethical and people-centred United Nations” – click on the cover below to read full paper.
