The Security Council mourns those lost in Nigeria.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Boko Haram, a Nigerian militant organization with ties to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack that claimed 23 lives and left 80 wounded this past Friday.

“We are at war with the infidels. In Nigeria the federal government tries to perpetuate the agenda of the Unied Nations,” said Abul Qaqa, a Boko Haram spokesperson, “the UN is the bastion of the global oppression of muslims all over the world.”

Western officials are now urging for a new and less militarized approach to dealing with Boko Haram. The bombing this past Friday shows that the heavy-handed approach towards containment has further radicalized the group.

Instead, officials suggest the government work to address the economic and social problems facing the country. 50 million youth in Nigeria, a country of 154 million, are underemployed. Life expectancy is 48 years despite substantial oil revenue and wages have remained flat for the past several decades.

Despite the bombing, several UN officials have made clear that the UN ‘will not be deterred’ from its work.

The UN plans to conduct a global threat review in addition to a full review of the attack and security measures in Abuja.

Photo by BRQ Network

The Philippines brings the total number of members to 117, following the ratification of the Statute by Tunisia this past June.

“I send my heartfelt congratulations to all those in the Philippines who worked hard to make this day possible, and I hope that this historic decision will serve to dispel unfounded concerns about joining the ICC among other Asian nations,” said ICC president Sang-Hyun Song.

The Philippines Senate ratified the treaty with 17 affirmative votes and one negative.

Established by the Rome Statute, the International Criminal Court was established in 1998 to try cases involving individuals charged with war crimes and other crimes against humanity.

The US is notably absent from the International Criminal Court, having signed the Rome Statute but never ratifying the document.

The primary reason for the extension is due to the ongoing rape epidemic plaguing the eastern part of the country. The UN refugee agency recently reported on a single village raid during which 170 women were raped.

There are roughly 14 rapes reported each day, with the number expected to be much higher due to the number of survivors who never come forward.

With over 19,000 troops in the DRC, it is the largest UN force deployed anywhere in the world.

Resolution 1990, drafted by the US, will deploy the troops for a six-month period and authorizes troops to take “necessary actions”, including the use of force to defend themselves and protect civilians.

This authorization, sanctioned under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, follows similar allowances for the ‘use of force’ in Libya and the Ivory Coast over the past six months.

The resolution was drafted as a result of to the June 20th agreement signed by both the northern and southern factions of Sudan allowing for a settlement to the Abyei dispute. Despite this agreement, widespread violence and looting has continued, something the peacekeeping forces hope to end.

He won with just over 50% of the vote, beating Miguel Angel Martinos of Spain by a vote of 92-88.

Graziano comes from within the FAO, having served as the senior regional officer for Latin America and the Caribbean since 2006. He succeeds Jacques Diouf who has served as the Director-General since 1994.

Upon his election, Garziano outlined 5 goals for his term, which ends in 2015:

1. Eradicating hunger
2. Promoting a shift to sustainable food production
3. Ensuring greater fairness in food management
4. Implementing the agreed internal FAO reforms
5. Expanding South-South Cooperation

Initial support from civil society is positive, with international aid organization Oxfam welcoming Graziano’s election. The US is also positive, saying they look forward to working with him and hope he brings about much needed reform within the organization.

Though not directly commenting on Graziano’s election, the US has regularly called for budget cuts, better prioritization of projects, and bureaucratic reform within the FAO.

The FAO, established in 1945, is the largest UN agency with an annual operating budget of roughly $1 billion. In 2010, it placed the number of hungry at 925 million — roughly 1 in 7 people globally.

“This significant step is particularly important in light of the fundamental changes that have occurred in Tunisia this year,” said Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, “it brings us closer to a true age of accountability.”

This ratification comes five months after the popular uprising that removed the Ben Ali regime this past January.

The International Criminal Court, though widely considered the most significant reform of international law since the founding of the United Nations, still lacks the membership Russia, the United States, China, and India.