International organisations
This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on international organisations. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.
Standard Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 22.07.2013 | In brief: the controversy over the November 2013 Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka |
| In November 2009, the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) agreed that its 2013 meeting should be held in Sri Lanka. This decision has faced persistent criticism since then, with organisations including Human Rights Watch arguing that the Sri Lankan Government's human rights record is so poor that the Commonwealth should relocate the Summit elsewhere. The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, has rejected such calls. So far, Canada is the only Commonwealth member state to say that it will definitely not be attending the Summit. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, have confirmed that they will both be attending the Summit on behalf of the British Government (Prince Charles will represent the Queen). The official British position is that they will use their presence to raise concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. | |
| 05.06.2013 | In brief: Kenya after the March 2013 elections |
| The 4 March presidential elections saw Jubilee Alliance candidate Uhuru Kenyatta win a narrow victory in the first round. , Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, are both due to be tried by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the violence that followed the December 2007 elections. The victory of Kenyatta and Ruto has presented Western governments with a dilemma. While Western rhetorical support for the ICC remains strong, many in Kenya and beyond believe that pressure is being exerted on it 'behind the scenes' to soften its position so that the cases do not excessively impede Western cooperation with the new Government. | |
| 29.05.2013 | Azerbaijan 2013 |
| 18.04.2013 | In brief: the Commonwealth Charter |
| On 11 March 2013 in London the Queen signed the Commonwealth Charter. However, while the UK Government has welcomed it, there has been considerable criticism of the Charter on the grounds that it is not legally binding and cannot be effectively enforced. In September 2012 three Commonwealth Nobel Laureates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nadine Gordimer and Wole Soyinka had said that a weak and ineffective Charter should not be endorsed. LGBT rights campaigners have also been vocal in signalling disappointment with the final text. | |
| 17.01.2013 | Antarctic Bill - Committee Stage |
| The Antarctic Bill is presented as a Private Member's Bill by Neil Carmichael MP. This note sets out the issues discussed in the Bill Committee on 21 November 2012. These included: the timing of the enactment of the provisions relating to the liability annex, compatibility with existing shipping liability provisions, and the wider issue of the future of the British Antarctic Survey. |
Research Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 24.04.2009 | Russia and the West |
| A year on from Dmitry Medvedev's succession to the Kremlin, this paper analyses the evolution of Russian foreign policy under both Putin and Medvedev. It seeks to identify the main themes, interests, and objectives of Russian foreign policy, and to appraise the role of President Medvedev in the direction of Russian diplomacy and his relationship with Prime Minister Putin. In so doing, it examines, in detail, Russia's relationship with the United States, NATO, the EU, and the UK and analyses the role of energy in relations between Russia and the West. Finally, it looks ahead at the prospects for the relationship in light of President Obama's declared intention to press the 'reset' button in US-Russian relations. | |
| 20.03.2009 | Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [HL] (Bill 69 of 2008-09) |
| This short Bill is intended to amend two UK Acts to enable the Government to ratify two international agreements protecting military medical personnel and humanitarian workers. In line with the protocols, the Bill would firstly sanction and protect the 'red crystal' as a new symbol to protect humanitarian personnel in armed conflict instead of (or in addition to) the existing red cross or red crescent; and secondly extend the definition of protected UN workers to include those delivering humanitarian, political or development assistance in peacebuilding operations and those delivering emergency humanitarian protection. |
Early Day Motions
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 16.12.2009 | RWANDA AND THE COMMONWEALTH |
| That this House welcomes Rwanda's entry into the Commonwealth as its 54th Member State and the decision of Commonwealth leaders to accept Rwanda's application; recognises the remarkable ... | |
| 07.12.2009 | COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING 2011 |
| That this House welcomes the decision taken at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2009, held in Trinidad and Tobago, to name Australia as the host of the 2011 conference; ... | |
| 29.06.2009 | INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (No. 2) |
| That this House notes that as of 24 June 2009, the Government has agreed to become a full signatory to and to join the International Renewable Energy Agency; congratulates the Secretary ... | |
| 01.04.2009 | TAIWAN'S PARTICIPATION IN WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION |
| That this House regrets that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has opposed including Taiwan's participation as an observer to the World Health Assembly (WHA) on its agenda since 1997; ... | |
| 26.02.2009 | COMMONWEALTH DAY 2009 AND THE COMMONWEALTH AT 60 |
| That this House marks Commonwealth Day on 9 March; notes the importance of the theme for 2009, which is The Commonwealth at 60 - serving a new generation; believes that the Commonwealth ... |
Lords Library Notes
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 07.06.2013 | Debate on 13 June: Government's Priorities at the G8 |
| This Library Note provides background information about the Prime Minister's stated priorities for the G8 meeting to be held in Northern Ireland on 17-18 June: advancing trade, improving tax compliance and promoting greater transparency. | |
| 25.08.2011 | Debate on 8 September: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Role of the Commonwealth |
| This Library Note provides background information for the debate on 8 September 2011 on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the role of the Commonwealth | |
| 14.04.2011 | Debate on 28 April: Co-ordination between Government Departments on the use of Soft Power |
| This Library Note provides background information for the debate on 28 April 2011 on co-ordination between Government departments on the use of soft power. | |
| 23.01.2009 | Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [HL]. LLN 2009/001 |
| Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [HL]. House of Lords Library Note 2009/001 |
POST Papers
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 17.09.2012 | Measuring National Wellbeing |
| This POSTnote summarises the latest research on measuring national wellbeing, its components and causes, and examines some policy implications. |
