„Deutschland verliert einen engen Freund und Partner“

Würdigung des verstorbenen ehemaligen US-Außenministers Henry Kissinger

Die letzte Begegnung mit Henry Kissinger fand im Februar statt. Anlässlich des Besuchs von Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rüttgers, Ministerpräsident von Nordrhein-Westfalen a.D. und Mitglied des Vorstands der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, trafen wir uns mit dem früheren US-Außenminister per Zoom im KAS-Büro in New York. Nur Monate zuvor hatte der damals 99-Jährige sein neues Buch „Leadership – Six Studies in World Strategy“ herausgegeben. Auf gut 400 Seiten stellt Kissinger darin sechs Persönlichkeiten vor. Das erste Kapitel beschreibt das Leben und Wirken von Konrad Adenauer. Ab 1957 bis zu dessen Tode ein Jahrzehnt später hatte Kissinger eine ganze Reihe an persönlichen Gesprächen mit Adenauer. Facettenreich und mit vielen Zitaten erinnert er in seinem Buch an die Bemühungen des ersten deutschen Bundeskanzlers für eine Aussöhnung mit Frankreich, die Stärkung der Beziehungen zum Westen und insbesondere zu den Vereinigten Staaten als Schlüssel für die Wiederherstellung der Position Deutschlands in der Welt. Anschaulich zeichnet Kissinger den überaus schwierigen Prozess bis zur Aufnahme diplomatischer Beziehungen zwischen Deutschland und Israel nach. Adenauers Vision von einem vereinten Deutschland in einem vereinten Europa bezeichnet der Republikaner als „The Strategy of Humility“, die Strategie der Demut.

At the mid-point of the 2030 agenda: some reflections on Justice for All

United Nations Day

In 2015, global leaders took a historic step to include peace, justice and strong institutions as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The adoption of SDG16 demonstrated a clear recognition by all the countries of the world that economies might be performing well, and health and education may improve; but without peace and justice, people will be unable to achieve their full potential and development will remain precarious.

Busy Week at the East River

Ukraine, SDGs, climate change, and financing for development: The High-Level Week in New York showed the urgent need for reform and action to restore trust in multilateral solutions.

The High-level Week of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA78) unfolded amid a fraught backdrop of converging conflicts and crises, including an ongoing war, stalled development gains, and escalating climate change. Russia’s war in Ukraine and the UN’s inability to end it has struck a blow to the multilateral system, undermining its credibility. A multi-trillion dollar financing gap threatens hard-won progress towards the 2030 Agenda and the promise of a better, sustainable future for all. Meanwhile, the climate crisis—the existential threat of our time—steadily worsens in the absence of bold policies and initiatives.

Effective multilateral solutions to these global challenges are needed more than ever. However, in a time of deepening geopolitical division, the global community is struggling to respond to the urgency of the moment with the requisite political will and ambition. Drawing from the High-level Week discussions, this report will examine three of the most-pressing challenges for the UN system, underscoring where multilateral action has fallen short, where progress—however incremental—has been made, and what further steps are needed.

50 Jahre Mitgliedschaft Deutschlands in den Vereinten Nationen - eine Momentaufnahme

Am 18. September 2023 jährte sich der Beitritt Deutschlands in die Vereinten Nationen zum 50. Mal. Zeit für eine Momentaufnahme und für Reflektionen. Welche Rolle spielt Deutschland aktuell im UN-System? Wie wird Deutschland international wahrgenommen? Wie unterscheidet sich deutsche Diplomatie von der anderer internationaler Akteure? Die hier beschriebenen Einblicke und Einschätzungen basieren auf einer Interviewreihe des Autors in New York zur gewachsenen internationalen Verantwortung und der Soft Power Deutschlands im UN-System.

The Impact of Parliamentary Oversight on Governance: A case for increased involvement of national legislatures in the implementation of the SDGs

International Day of Democracy

The authors discuss how effective parliaments are critical to promoting democratic governance and are pivotal components of a country's broader governance framework and checks and balances. Parliaments are critical for the successful implementation of the SDGs.

Driving Change Towards Racial Justice and Equality

International Day for People of African Descent

August 31 marks the International Day for People of African Descent, now in its third year of observance. Created by the United Nations (UN), the International Day aims to celebrate the diversity and contributions of the Afro-descendant diaspora, end racial discrimination and exclusion around the world, and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for people of African descent.

High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2023 – a blueprint for the SDG Summit?

How can we build on the momentum from the HLPF for a successful SDG Summit?

In July 2023, Member States came together to assess progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the United Nations (UN) High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. As we reach the halfway point to the deadline of achieving the 2030 Agenda, the HLPF discussions concentrated on the key policy areas in which accelerated progress is needed. At this critical inflection point, only 12% of the 140 SDG targets are on track and the UN Secretary-General’s latest SDG Progress Report issues a dire “Rescue Plan for People and Planet” to put the world on a better path. The SDG Summit, taking place from 18-19 September 2023 in New York, will be an opportune moment to reverse our current trajectory and redouble efforts towards SDG implementation. This country report offers a synthesis of key themes from the HLPF and prospective outlook on the SDG Summit.

Digital Cooperation and Digital Governance in Africa

Key messages from the IOE-KAS-ACET expert dialogue series

KAS, the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), and The African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) have collaborated on three dialogues with experts and policymakers, culminating in an event at the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on July 12, 2023.  These dialogues have been designed to facilitate knowledge sharing among policymakers, development partners, and other stakeholders in multilateral institutions to identify concrete policy actions to accelerate the development of digital skills in Africa.

“Nobody Wants to Be on the Wrong Side of History”

Systemic Rivalry and Unity in Defence of the UN Charter

In view of the Russian attack on Ukraine, a clear majority of states around the world are demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from the neighboring country when called to vote in the United Nations General Assembly. And yet there are considerable differences in their willingness to impose sanctions and in the interpretation of the conflict and its geopolitical background. Many countries see no reason to clearly choose one global political camp. Their UN representatives present various arguments to explain that position – and the West should listen to them.

Parliamentarism in Latin America

International Day of Parliamentarism

In the global political landscape, World Parliamentarism Day is a moment of reflection on the importance of democratic systems and how to ensure through them the representation of citizens. Latin America is no stranger to this debate and despite overall progress currently faces two main challenges: a) the disempowerment of parliaments by the executive through constitutional mechanisms (illustrated by the recent developments in Ecuador); and b) the still weak representation of women in parliament and political leadership positions.