It is Prime Minister John Key's first visit to the United Nations since New Zealand was elected to the Security Council. Photo / File
It is Prime Minister John Key's first visit to the United Nations since New Zealand was elected to the Security Council. Photo / File
New set of goals will be overshadowed as NZ’s Security Council role becomes vital.
Prime Minister John Key arrives in New York today to join about 160 other world leaders for a United Nations General Assembly week in which Syria is again expected to overshadow the main business of the week - the adoption of key development goals.
It is Mr Key's first visit to the United Nations since New Zealand was elected to the Security Council and Mr Key said it was a chance to progress New Zealand's aims on that Council while other leaders were in town. During the week he will attend a summit hosted by US President Barack Obama on countering Islamic State and the foreign ministers of the countries on the Security Council will also meet on Islamic State. The refugee crisis and ongoing tensions between the United States and Russia over Russia's military backing of the al-Assad regime means Syria will inevitably dominate during the week.
Labour foreign affairs spokesman David Shearer said its role on the Security Council meant this was a critical year for New Zealand.
"The question is whether New Zealand can be instrumental in brokering deals between the Russians and the Americans and others to get an agreed position rather than veto each others' decisions. I think that is going to be the number one game in town where New Zealand can probably play the biggest role."
Syria is set to overshadow the adoption of a set of Sustainable Development Goals to mark the 70th Anniversary of the UN. Those succeed the Millennium Development Goals and commit every country - whether developing or developed - to take action to eliminate poverty.
Those too reference Islamic State and situations such as Syria's, saying terrorism, conflict and displacement threaten to unravel much of the gains of the past few decades. If those are successful in securing meaningful action, it can only help UNDP head Helen Clark's bid for the top job of Secretary General after Ban Ki-moon steps down in 2017. It won't be easy - it is estimated to cost trillions of dollars globally and the goals have been criticised for being too vague and giving countries an out by failing to set specific targets. Mr Shearer said while the Millennium Goals were effectively imposed on countries rather than being set by agreement, they were at least clear targets. "These goals in many ways are more comprehensive and better but because they don't have specific targets it's going to be difficult to know whether you hit them. It's going to be easier for people to ignore them.
Syria is set to overshadow the adoption of a set of Sustainable Development Goals to mark the 70th Anniversary of the UN. Photo / AP
He did not think it would be critical in Helen Clark's chances as Secretary-General, saying the structural changes she had made within the UNDP were a better yardstick. "She has been shown to be a brave leader of an institution." He said there was also an awareness it was time for a woman to lead the UNDP - but there was "some good competition" out there, such as Chilean President Michele Bachelet. It could also depend on whether a strong candidate emerged from an eastern European country - it was that region's turn to hold the role although it was possible other countries would not be able to agree on a candidate.
What are the sustainable development goals
• the successor of Millennium Development Goals set in 2000 which ended in 2015.
• the ultimate goal is to completely eradicate extreme poverty by 2030.
• the MDGs applied only to developing countries while the new goals will apply to all countries, rich and poor.
• implementation is expected to cost trillions of dollars and developed countries are expected to help the least developed with both financial resources and providing environmentally friendly technology.
• the MDGs set specific targets in social areas such as health and education. Examples included child mortality and education participation rates. The SDGs are much broader and include climate change, environmental practices, war and conflict, economic growth and issues such as requiring multinational companies to pay taxes where they make profits - issues that are barriers to countries' abilities to address development needs.
• the new goals were developed after three years of negotiations and consultation with UN member countries and non-governmental organisations. The MDGs were drawn up by a group of experts behind closed doors.
• the new goals are not binding and have been criticised as too vague. But developing them with consultation could result in broader political buy-in and a system will be in place to monitor the implementation by countries.
• the MDGs had some success but there are still gaps especially in many African countries, small island states and the poorest countries.
Highlights of the week in New York
Every year the United Nations General Assembly meets in New York for a hectic week often attended by the leaders of the 193 member states.
Happy Birthday: The United Nations turns 70 which has prompted a higher turn out of leaders than usual. More than 160 of the 193 countries in the UN are expected to be represented by leaders. They include Russia's President Vladimir Putin who has not been to the General Assembly for a decade.
Powder KEG Monday: The first day of the leaders' addresses to the General Assembly (early Tuesday NZ Time) will feature the big quintet of presidents - US President Barack Obama, Russia President Vladimir Putin, Iran's Hassan Rouhani, China's Xi Jinping and France's Francois Hollande. It is fresh on the heels of the Iran nuclear deal reached in Vienna in June but expect fireworks over Syria given tension between the US and Russia over Russia's military backing of Syria's regime.
Divine intervention: Pope Francis will speak at the General Assembly for the first time and also opened the Sustainable Development Summit over the weekend. Pope Francis is the fifth Pope to attend the UNGA. He has been given a rock star welcome during his visit to the US in the lead up to the conference and has taken a strong stand on climate change and the treatment of refugees.
Not so giant: New Zealand Prime Minister John Key's speaking slot is on the Thursday afternoon in between Antigua and Barbuda and Nepal.
Syria: Expect Syria and Islamic State to dominate - US President Barack Obama is hosting a summit on Islamic State and counter terrorism which leaders of the 60-odd countries involved in Iraq are attending - including John Key.
The Foreign Ministers from the Security Council members will also hold a meeting on Islamic State on Wednesday (Thursday NZT). There are increasing calls for the Security Council to take action over Syria and for countries to do more to cope with the refugees coming out of Syria. Europe's leaders will come fresh from a summit aimed at trying to find a resolution to the flood of asylum seekers.
Wakey wakey eggs and bakey: British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to attend the UNGA but leave before his speaking slot, according to the Guardian. Things could be a bit awkward - his reported antics with a pig head at university prompted jokes in other Western societies, but will not help his credibility in Muslim circles. He can be sure of a shoulder to cry on in the form of his old mate, John Key.
Business of the week: The leaders will sign off on a raft of new sustainable development goals, including the lofty ambition of completely eradicating poverty by 2030. These replace the Millennium Development goals and were drawn up after three years of consultation and negotiations.
China: China's President Xi Jinping is on his first state visit to the United States in the lead up to the General Assembly. A major climate change announcement is expected, but the main bone of contention between President Xi and Obama was alleged cyber attacks coming from China. That has been an issue for New Zealand as well with the GCSB acting director Una Jagose recently revealing to the NZ Herald that the number of cyber attacks on New Zealand had soared over the past year although both Jagose and Prime Minister John Key have been reluctant to name and shame China for it.
Trade: In his seventh year as Prime Minister, Key has developed the art of standing in the right place at the right time to get face to face with the big wigs. He has already made it clear he will use any opportunity he gets to hustle for trade deals including the Trans Pacific Partnership, bolstering Murray McCully' recent visit to the EU to talk trade and reminding China's President Xi Jinping of his desire to upgrade the free trade agreement with China after Australia got more favourable terms.
Paris in the winter time: Climate change will be a hot topic as countries prepare for a critical talks to forge a new climate change agreement in Paris in December. Countries are now lodging their emissions reductions targets. New Zealand will take part in a climate change summit of 18 major economies, including China - the world's largest emitter - which last year agreed too peak emissions by 2030 and is expected to announce a new cap in trade scheme from 2017 at the summit.
