Helen Clark's Diary - May

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The Elders BOARD MEETING

“Failures of political leadership risk collapse of international order”

In May I attended the Board meeting of The Elders in Sap Paolo, Brazil. On our agenda were the wars on Ukraine and Gaza and the civil war in Myanmar; nuclear disarmament - the nuclear threat remains ever present and is at a high level'; the need for faster climate action; and the ongoing negotiations for a new pandemic agreement.

During our time in Sao Paolo we met Brazil’s Finance Minister and the Minister for Racial Equality.

This is a big year for Brazil as host of the G20, and next year it will host the annual UN Climate Change Convention Conference of Parties.

We held a public event on long view leadership - The Elders are encouraging leaders to address long term issues impacting on economies, societies, and the environment. Our statement said: “In a year of multiple elections, citizens have a responsibility to cast their vote wisely, choosing leaders who take a longer view of protecting their interests and rejecting populists who exploit fears and foster division for short-term gain”. The full statement is here: The Elders.

PANDEMIC AGREEMENT

The future of pandemic agreement uncertain

The World Health Assembly met in late May, and succeeded in agreeing on amendments to the International Health Regulations. The pandemic agreement negotiations were unable to be concluded at WHA77. The war in Gaza, the push back from anti-rights countries on SRHR - this was no ordinary World Health Assembly: See Health Policy Watch.

Independence of Supreme Audit Institutions

PASAI Congress - Keynote

I was honoured to speak at the 25th PASAI (Pacific Association of Supreme Audit Institutions) Congress, held in the Cook Islands. This year it focused on the theme of "Strengthening Performance: Making a Difference in the Lives of Pacific People."

“I am with you today as the Goodwill Ambassador for the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Donor Co-operation. In this capacity, I advocate for the independence of Supreme Audit Institutions. Coming from the South Pacific, I have a particular interest in the good work which public audit offices in our region are doing to strengthen their performance. “

READ THE FULL SPEECH

WAR IN GAZA

Actions in Rafah not seen as “major ground operation” by the US

The agony of the people of Gaza continued throughout May. A US spokesperson claimed that the assault on Rafah was not a “major ground operation”. Had he not noticed how many people continue to be killed, injured, displaced, and traumatised? His statement appeared to be a way of denying that President Biden’s red line had been crossed. BBC has more.

ICJ orders Israel to stop Rafah offensive

Israel was ordered to halt its military offensive in Rafah

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Israel to stop its Rafah offensive. Its assault has followed the same pattern as elsewhere in Gaza: many lives lost, serious injuries and trauma, many displaced, community infrastructure and homes destroyed: BBC.

Marwan Barghouti could play a crucial role in future peace

Marwan #Barghouti is an acknowledged Palestinian leader who could play a vital role in building peace. He has been jailed in Israel for years. His lawyer says his treatment amounts to torture. An independent medical examination has been denied: The Guardian.

GEORGIA

Georgian parliament overrides veto on ‘foreign influence’

It was a sad day for civic and media freedoms in Georgia when the country’s Parliament voted to override the President’s veto on a Russian-style law which requires organisations receiving over twenty per cent of their funds from offshore to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power”. This move will impede Georgia’s entry to the EU - which most of its people consistently desire: The Guardian.

NEW ZEALAND

Government’s social housing arm under attack

“if you valued Kāinga Ora like any other home… it’s been a stonking financial success over the last 5-6 years… the value of its homes, in particular the value of its land, has risen much faster than the value of its debt”. Read more:⁦ Newsroom.

Tech exports to be cut

“Two initiatives supporting the tech sector to grow its exports were among 240-odd allegedly ‘low-value’ programmes which have been scrapped altogether or scaled back” under the New Zealand Government’s spending cuts. How does that help increase the value of exports? A commodity based economy can’t fund high living standards: Newsroom.

Seabed mining

Companies pursuing seabed mining proposals are withdrawing from normal resource management processes. It is likely that they would seek to take advantage of New Zealand Government’s Fast Track bill which gives little weight to environmental concerns: Newsroom.

Fast track law dangerous for New Zealand’s fragile democracy

Fast track law advanced under urgency “expands what laws can be bypassed, while increasing ministerial powers and opening up conflict-of-interest risks..it’s happening at a time when other democratic checks and balances are fragile, if not fading.” Dangerous: The Conversation.