Map of the Month - Multilateral Dialogue Geneva

Map of the Month

Die KAS-Karte des Monats

Co-sponsors of the proposal for a TRIPS-Waiver for COVID-19 vaccines in the WTO

Map of the Month 04/2021

The TRIPS-Waiver is an initiative by India and South Africa to temporarily suspend patent rights in order to accelerate the global production of COVID-19 vaccines. So far more than 60 states have co-sponsored the initiative, many more are supportive of the idea. The US, Chile, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Canada, the EU, Mexico, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore and Switzerland have so far expressed scepticism. They point to existing flexibility within the TRIPS framework. The map shows the coalition of countries that are supportive of the initiative.

Olaf Wientzek, Sarah Ultes, Katarzyna Gorgol-Mäder

May 4, 2021

Map of the Month

Chinese resolution on the role of human rights in the UN-system

Map of the Month 03/2021

During the 46th Human Rights Council China tabled a resolution on “mutually beneficial cooperation" for the third time that seeks to advance human rights through best practices between states instead of accountability for human rights violations. Observers see this as an attempt to undermine existing human rights standards. The resolution was adopted with 26 votes in favour, 15 against and 6 abstentions. In 2020 23 states voted in favour, 16 against and 8 abstained and in 2018 28 states voted in favour while only the US voted against and 17 states abstained.

Olaf Wientzek, Sarah Ultes, Maewa Dutuit-Sauter

March 25, 2021

Map of the Month

International Partnership for Information and Democracy

Map of the Month 02/2021

On 24 February the Alliance for Multilateralism met once again on the margins of the 46th Human Rights Council in Geneva. Under the heading "New Frontiers for Human Rights. Pandemic Preparedness and Response", the relevance of the International Partnership for Information and Democracy was highlighted. The initiative condemns the manipulative use of fake news to undermine democracy. The signatories commit, i.a. to respect and defend freedom of opinion and freedom of the press, as well as to protect journalists.

Olaf Wientzek, Maewa Dutuit-Sauter

March 2, 2021

Map of the Month

Initiative to reform WHO's Emergency Preparedness

Map of the Month 01/2021

During the January 2021 executive board meeting of the WHO, 46 countries launched a draft decision, based on reports from various committees, to strengthen WHO’s global health emergency preparedness and response capacities. This is considered to be a central component of a WHO reform. The goal is to develop a resolution at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2021, the highest health-related global decision-making forum.

Olaf Wientzek, Maewa Dutuit-Sauter

January 25, 2021

Map of the Month

Groups and Alliances in the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Map of the month 12/2020

Members of the WTO often form specific interest or negotiation groups. The following map illustrates some of them.

Olaf Wientzek

January 15, 2021

Map of the Month

Voting behaviour in the UN Human Rights Council 2020

Map of the Month 11/2020

This map illustrates the voting behaviour of UN Human Rights Council (HRC) members on disputed resolutions in line with and against Germany in 2020. During all three sessions (43rd, 44th, 45th) 97 resolutions were passed of which 31 camp to the vote. 19 of them (around 60%) were adopted in favour of Germany. Which countries voted in line with Germany, which did not? The EU Member States, Ukraine, Australia, Japan and South Korea voted most commonly in line with Germany. Venezuela and Cameroon scarcest were in line with the German position. Several African countries frequently abstained from the vote.

Olaf Wientzek, Sarah Ultes, Meike Lenzner

November 29, 2020

Map of the Month

The new composition of the UN Human Rights Council as of 1 January 2021

Map of the Month 10/2020

On 13 October, the UN General Assembly elected 15 new member states for a period of 3 years (2021-23) into the UN Human Rights Council that consists of 47-member states. Candidates are nominated by 5 regional groups that often do not allow for selection ("clean slate"). Only the Asia Pacific group allowed for selection: China was elected, but with an all-time low of 139 votes; with only 90 votes Saudi Arabia did not make it at all. Russia and Cuba are among the newly elected members as well.

Olaf Wientzek, Sarah Ultes, Meike Lenzner

October 21, 2020

Map of the Month

Countries participating in the COVAX Facility

Map of the Month 09/2020

To ensure a fair and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to all countries, over 170 countries have joined forces since June 2020 to form the so-called “COVAX Facility”. The goal is to procure around two billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). COVAX is the first procurement programme for COVID-19 vaccines that is open to all countries. The initiative allows 92 low-income countries access to vaccines funded by development aid. Other participating countries are so-called self-financing countries of higher-income countries, which support the mechanism with additional funds. Germany joined the COVAX – initiative via the EU. The following map depicts the countries that joined the initiative so far (as of September 28).

Olaf Wientzek, Sarah Ultes, Meike Lenzner

September 30, 2020

Map of the Month