Key Global Events to Watch in July

At the start of every month, the Global Observatory posts a list of key upcoming meetings and events that have implications for global affairs.

JULY 1: UN Envoy to Yemen to Visit Moscow

The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, will visit Moscow today for consultations with the Foreign Ministry. The conflict in Yemen is nearing its fifth anniversary in August, and is one of the most severe humanitarian crises today. More than 24 million Yemenis (about 80 percent of the country’s population) are in need of humanitarian assistance, and the number of internally displaced people exceeds three million, according to UN data.

JULY 1–19: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Geneva

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women will meet in Geneva from July 1–19. The Committee monitors implementation of the convention on discrimination against women (CEDAW) by state parties. The countries under review during this session are Austria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guyana, Mozambique, and Qatar.

JULY 1–26: 126th Session of UN Human Rights Committee, Geneva

The 126th session of the Human Rights Committee will be held in Geneva between July 1 and 26. The Committee is responsible for monitoring implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The state parties to the ICCPR under review during this session are: Mauritania, The Netherlands, Paraguay, Tajikistan, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria.

JULY 3: European Union Parliament to Elect President, Brussels

While a deal to award the presidency of the European Commission to a former Dutch foreign minister broke down during the EU summit, the 28 EU governments are still scheduled to choose a new president by July 3. The impasse during the summit underlines the broader problem facing EU governments, who hail from a range of political groups, and who have struggled to respond to a series of crises in recent years from migration to the economy.

JULY 7: Iran to Abandon Additional Nuclear Commitments

After laying down a sixty-day deadline in May, Iran will suspend more of its nuclear commitments on July 7 unless an economic lifeline to help the country weather sanctions is established. The deadline comes as Iran today surpassed a limit on its stockpile of uranium. A meeting last week in Austria seemed to indicate that the Iranian government would back down from its decision to further withdraw from its commitments, but its demands remain unmet and it has described an anticipated European financial and trade mechanism as “insufficient.”

JULY 7: Parliamentary Elections, Greece

Conservatives in Greece are expected to ride a wave of opposition to continued austerity measures in the country’s upcoming parliamentary election. The election comes three months earlier than originally planned, after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called for snap elections following his party’s defeat in European Parliament and local elections in May. Polls for the July 7 election suggest that the defeat will be repeated. The conservative New Democracy party is nine points ahead of Tsipras’ Syriza party with approximately 35.4–40.4 percent of the vote. A victory of this margin will be in line with New Democracy’s margin of victory in May.

JULY 9: Emir of Qatar to Visit United States

US President Donald Trump will host the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on July 9. The two leaders are scheduled to discuss regional developments, bilateral security cooperation, and counterterrorism issues. The visit of the emir coincides with the White House’s efforts to rally support for its Middle East peace plan, which centers on a $50 billion investment plan for the Palestinian territories.

JULY 11: Taiwanese President to Visit United States

During a twelve-day visit to the Caribbean, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen will stop over in transit in the United States for four days. Tsai will use the visit to discuss cooperation plans and cement the two countries’ relationship. The four Caribbean countries Tsai is visiting are among the 17 allies that have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang urged the US to not allow Tsai to transit and to “cautiously and appropriately handle Taiwan-related issues, to avoid harming Sino-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

JULY 9–18: UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, New York 

The UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development will begin on July 9 in New York. Convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, the HLPF is held annually to review progress on certain Sustainable Development Goals in the 2030 Agenda. There are six SDGs under review this year, including: Goal 4 on education, Goal 8 on economic growth, Goal 10 on reducing inequality, Goal 13 on climate action, Goal 16 on peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, and Goal 17 on strengthening global partnership for sustainable development. The July HLPF will be followed by Secretary-General António Guterres’ Climate Action Summit in September.

JULY 21: Parliamentary Elections, Ukraine

Ukraine is set to hold an election for parliament on July 21. The political party of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Servant of the People, has maintained its lead. A recent opinion poll showed Servant of the People with 34.4 percent in favor, well ahead of any of the other 16 parties. After taking office in May, Zelenskiy dissolved parliament and called for a snap election to replace parliamentarians. Should Zelenskiy’s party hold on to its lead, the victory will undeniably cement his rise and upending of Ukrainian politics.