At the start of every month, the Global Observatory posts a list of key upcoming meetings and events that have implications for global affairs.
June 26-July 8: Meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, New York
The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is meeting under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York until July 8. The forum is debating the theme of “Strengthening integration, implementation and review – the HLPF after 2015,” and focusing on how to follow up on the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. The forum is also addressing follow-up on the Rio+20 process and discuss the Samoa Conference on Small Island Developing States.
July 2: UN talks resume on Libya crisis, Skhirat
Libya’s rival parliaments are scheduled to meet on July 2 to resume talks on a United Nations-sponsored power-sharing proposal aimed at ending the conflict in the country. Talks between the Tripoli-based General National Congress and the internationally recognized Tobruk-based House of Representatives have reportedly been progressing well in the Moroccan city of Skhirat. UN Special Envoy Bernardino León said a deal might even be reached before the July 2 meeting.
July 5: Greece holds referendum on terms of economic bailout, Athens
Greek Prime Minister Alex Tsipras has called a national referendum on whether the country should accept the terms of a bailout suggested by the country’s international creditors. The European Commission, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund had asked for concessions such as a revamped pensions system, reduced defense budget, and higher business taxes in return for a five-month, €15.5 billion bailout extension for the economically troubled country. European Union leaders have warned that a “no” vote on the referendum would mean an exit from the eurozone.
July 5-9: OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Helsinki
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will hold its 24th Annual Session in Helsinki, Finland. The theme for this year’s session is “Recalling the Spirit of Helsinki,” referring to the organization’s founding document, the Helsinki Final Act of 1975. Among the topics discussed will be the Ukraine crisis, Mediterranean refugees, arms control, and climate change.
July 6: Special Tribunal for Lebanon resumes trial of former PM Hariri’s assassins, The Hague
On July 26, the United Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon will resume hearing the Ayyash et. al trial against four Hezbollah-members indicted of the assassination of former Lebanon prime minister Rafik Hariri and 21 others in February 2005. The killings further widened the country’s significant political and sectarian divisions.
July 7: Iran, six world powers face new deadline to reach comprehensive nuclear agreement
Iran and six world powers—China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the United States—have agreed on July 7 as a new deadline to reach a final, comprehensive agreement on Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. The parties had earlier been expected to reach an agreement by June 30 this year. Following the extension, US President Barack Obama warned there would be no deal if negotiators were not confident the pathways to Iran obtaining nuclear weapons were closed.
July 7-10: UNESCO holds “Our Common Future Under Climate Change” conference, Paris
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization will hold a four-day conference on climate change, building on the results of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report and allowing discussion of mitigation and adaptation issues. The event will allow scientists in attendance to prepare for the major UN climate change conference in Paris in December.
July 8-9: Russia hosts Seventh BRICS Summit, Ufa
The so-called BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—will hold their seventh annual summit in the Russian city of Ufa. The emerging economies bloc will look to develop new ideas to continue strengthening its members’ roles in regional and international affairs. The summit is expected to discuss proposals for a BRICS energy association and space station, among others.
July 9-10: International Ebola Recovery Conference, New York
The United Nations has convened an international conference to ensure recovery efforts from the recent Ebola outbreak in Africa can ensure greater future resilience, rather than merely reversing developmental losses. The event will be held in cooperation with the governments of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and in partnership with the African Union, African Development Bank, European Union and World Bank.
July 13-16: Third Conference on Financing for Development, Addis Ababa
The United Nations’ third annual International Conference on Financing for Development will be held in Ethiopia, July 13-16. The conference will bring together heads of state and government, ministers, leaders of business and non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders. It will aim to produce an “intergovernmentally negotiated and agreed outcome” to support implementation of the UN’s post-2015 development agenda.
July 15: Burundi to hold presidential election, Bujumbura
Burundi is scheduled to hold a presidential election on July 15, despite the country suffering continual violence following incumbent Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term in office, which many contend is unconstitutional. A grenade was reportedly thrown at a polling station during parliamentary elections on June 29, and many people have been killed following Nkurunziza’s declaration in April.
July 17: Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders discuss reunification, Nicosia
Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and his Greek Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades will participate in United Nations-monitored reunification talks on July 17. Akinci recently said he was optimistic that an agreement to end the 41-year-old conflict on the Mediterranean island could occur “in a matter of months.”
July 20-21: AU holds international conference on Ebola, Malabo
The African Union is to hold a conference in Equatorial Guinea on July 20-21 to discuss Africa’s fight against the Ebola virus. The conference will bring together heads of state and government, ministers, business leaders, and more to share experiences of the continent’s recent fight against Ebola. The aim will be to assist Ebola-afflicted countries in their recovery and reconstruction, and to prevent future public health outbreaks.
July 20-31: UN post-2015 intergovernmental negotiations, New York
Negotiators working on the United Nations’ post-2015 development agenda will meet to continue discussing the final declaration of the new Sustainable Development Goals, to be published in September 2015. The event will gather key stakeholders from the UN system, member states, and other intergovernmental organizations.
Late July: South Sudan peace talks set to resume, Addis Ababa
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development claims peace talks between South Sudan’s government and opposition factions will resume in Ethiopia sometime in late July after the conclusion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. IGAD negotiator Seyoum Mesfin said Algeria, Nigeria, Chad, South Africa, and Rwanda would participate in the talks, along with China, the “troika” of the United States, United Kingdom and Norway, and the United Nations.
