Running to Stand Still? The UN’s Impact in the Mideast, 75 Years On

Date and time: Nov 11, 2020, 4 PM Doha Time (UTC+3)

Register on Zoom here.

With:

• Habib Nassar, Director of Policy and Research, Impunity Watch
• Jakkie Cilliers, Chairman of the Board and Head of African Futures & Innovation, Institute for Security Studies
• Lise Grande, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Yemen
• Online Moderator: Noha Aboueldahab, Fellow, Brookings Doha Center

In its 75th year, the United Nations faces immense challenges in its mission to promote peace and security around the world. During the September 2020 General Assembly meeting, the UN reaffirmed its commitment to multilateralism as a means to address the world’s problems. But is the UN Charter as relevant today as it was 75 years ago?

Preventing the illegal use of force and ensuring equality and dignity for all people are the cornerstones of the UN Charter. How has this mission fared in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region? What lessons have we learned from the UN’s role in conflicts such as those in Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Palestine, and Syria? Is it still realistic to discuss Security Council reform? What impact would such reform have on conflicts in the MENA region?

Furthermore, there are a number of UN political missions and special envoys working on complex issues in countries including Yemen, Libya, and Syria. Their role has often been controversial. What alternatives must be considered to address conflict mediation in the MENA region? Does the UN still serve as an effective multilateral mechanism through which to pursue conflict resolution?

The Brookings Doha Center invites you to attend this webinar that discusses these questions and more. The panelists will critically reflect on the achievements, challenges, and potential trajectories of the UN in the MENA region, in light of the organization’s 75th anniversary.

IMPORTANT: For English language, use the English interpretation channel and click on “Mute Original Audio”.

Kindly note that there is a maximum capacity to join this webinar

The discussion will include a “Question and Answer” session.

All attendees will have the chance to submit questions via the Q&A option in the Zoom webinar and these can be submitted anonymously during the time allocated for Q&A.