International Geneva

1. International Geneva Colonel (GS) Dr. Karl-Heinz Rambke Ms. Emily Munro

2. Geneva – Historical Overview • 52 BC Julius Caesar mentions Geneva • 1602 Duke of Savoy attacks, but fails • 1798 Napoleon occupies the city (-1813) • 1815 Geneva becomes part of the Swiss Confederation • 1871 International arbitration tribunal, the affair of Alabama

3. Historical Overview (2) • 1863 International Committee of the Red Cross opens its headquarters • 1919 League of Nations is created International Labour Organization also establishes its offices • 1946 United Nations decides to establish its European headquarters Other organizations follow the UN: WHO, GATT/ WTO and CERN.

4. International Geneva • International conferences attract 100’000 delegates each year • 3 billion CHF is spent each year by the international sector • 3000 heads of state or government, ministers and other VIP officials on official visits each year • 22 261 people in 2002 employed by international organizations l’Etat de Genève, Office cantonal de la statistique

5. Geneva – City of Peace • The UN Office of Geneva is the centre of activities in ‘International Geneva’ • UNOG is world’s busiest centre of multilateral diplomacy • Many current and historical negotiation activities have taken place in the city • Geneva as a city of peace (universal vocation)

6. International Organizations • Security - humanitarian action, human rights, peacekeeping, disarmament • Social – labour and health • Development – environment and sustainable development • Science - nuclear research and meteorology • Education and training • Economic – trade • And, intellectual property and telecommunications

7. UN Bodies in Geneva • UN specialized agencies • International Labour Organization (ILO) • World Health Organization (WHO) • International Telecommunications Union (ITU) • World Meteorological Organization (WMO) • World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

8. UN Bodies in Geneva • UN programmes and funds • UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) • Office for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) • UN entities • UN High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCHR) • Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

9. UN Bodies in Geneva • UN research and training institutes • UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) • UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) • Other UN bodies • Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA – attached to the UN secretariat) • UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) as a regional commission • International Law Commission (ILC)

10. Selected International Organizations • International Organization for Migration (IOM) • World Trade Organization (WTO) a UN related organization • European Free Trade Organization • International Bureau of Education (IBE) • World Council of Churches (WCC)

11. Diplomatic Representation • 153 Permanent Missions to the UNOG • 20 Permanent Missions to the WTO • 16 Permanent Missions to the Disarmament Conference • 80 Consulates in the city • 30’000 Diplomats and international civil servants working in Geneva

12. Selected non-governmental organizations • International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) • Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) • World Economic Forum (WEF) • International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) • Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) • International Peace Bureau (IPB) • World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) • Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO)

13. Swiss Contributions • Switzerland became a member of the UN on 20 September 2002 after a nation-wide referendum (3 March) • Swiss membership : • UN, UNOG, ILO, ITU, WIPO, WHO, WMO, IBE, UNHCR • CERN, EFTA, IOM, WTO

14. Maison de la Paix • A new building to house Swiss-supported institutions (2007) • Geneva Centre for Security Policy • Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces • Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining • Centre for Applied Studies in International Negotiation • Geneva International Peace Research Institute • The Graduate Institute of International Studies

15. Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces • DCAF: foundation established in 2000 • Encourages and supports actors in their efforts to strengthen democratic and civilian control of armed and security forces • Promotes international cooperation in this field, focussing on the Euro-Atlantic region and worldwide

16. Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining • GICHD: Independent foundation supported by 18 governments • Three major tasks • research • operational assistance in many countries worldwide • supporting the implementation of the Ottawa Convention

17. The Graduate Institute of International Studies • An institution intended to provide to students the means of undertaking and pursuing international studies • Programs for undergraduate, masters and doctoral studies in 4 disciplines (law, politics, history and economics) • Multitude of research centres and special programmes

18. Main UN Organizations: UN High Commissioner for Refugees • UNHCR was established in 1948 • staff of over 5’000 people worldwide • High Commissioner, Rudd Lubbers (NL) • Mission - to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees and to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum, find safe refuge in another state and to return home voluntarily

19. Main UN Organizations: UN Institute for Disarmament Research • UNIDIR established in 1980 by the UN General Assembly devoted to Disarmament • Director, Patricia Lewis • Activities: Carries out research activities, publishes documents, organizes small meetings and supports expert networks • Focuses on hard and soft security issues

20. UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights • OHCHR mission - protect and promote all human rights for all people • Bertrand Ramcharan, Acting High Commissioner – after the death of Sergio Vieira de Mello in Baghdad (19 August 2003) • Priority areas • Mainstreaming human rights in the UN • Making the UN human rights program more effective within countries • Supporting international human rights bodies • Providing access to human rights information and promoting human rights education

21. Main UN Organizations: UN Development Programme • UNDP has its roots in the foundation of the UN in 1948 • Administrator, Mark Malloch Brown (UK) • Purpose is to promote the economic and social advancement of people • Challenges • Democratic Governance • Poverty Reduction • Crisis Prevention and Recovery • Energy and environment • Information and Communications Technology • HIV/AIDS

22. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs • OCHR created in 1992 • UN reform in 1998 sought to strengthen UN inter-agency cooperation for supporting field coordination under OCHA • Directed by Ross Mountain (NZ) • Headquarters both in Geneva (field coordination) and New York (planning and coordination).

23. Other International Organizations: International Committee of the Red Cross • ICRC created in 1863 in Geneva by Henry Dunant • Mainly financed by the Confederation • President, Jakob Kellenberger (CH) • Mission - to provide humanitarian assistance in time of war and conflict • Founding organization of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent • ICRC can go there where no other organization can be and help

24. Other International Organizations: World Trade Organization • General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) established in 1947, the WTO succeeding it in 1995 • Mission - to help producers, exporters and importers of goods and services conduct their business • 550 people work at the Secretariat • headed by Dr. Supachai Panitchparki (Director General, Thai)

25. Other International Organizations: World Health Organization • WHO founded in 1948 • 3500 staff (Geneva, regional offices) • Mission - the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health • Functions • articulating consistent, ethical and evidence-based policy and advocacy positions and catalysing change • negotiating and sustaining national and global partnerships • setting and implementing norms and standards • stimulating the development of new technologies, tools and guidelines for disease control, risk reduction, health care management, and service delivery.

26. NGOs: International Council of Voluntary Agencies • ICVA founded in 1962 • An association of NGOs that work to promote, and advocate for, human rights and a humanitarian perspective in global debates and responses • Objectives • Exchange of information • Networking • Advocacy

27. NGOs:Association for the Prevention of Torture • APT founded in 1977 • Mission: works worldwide to prevent torture and ill-treatment • Method of work • actively support the national implementation of international norms and standards that prohibit torture • contribute to the promotion of control mechanisms, such as visits by appropriate experts to places of detention • develop information and training activities for authorities in contact with detainees

28. Cooperation in International Geneva: Small Arms Survey • SAS established in 1999 by the Swiss government • Programme Director, Keith Krause and Project Director, Peter Batchelor • Objectives • Information source, Resource • Independent monitor, Research • Forum and clearinghouse for sharing of information • Cooperation - UN bodies, NGOs, other international organisations

29. International Geneva