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Politics and Government

The World Next Week: Morsi Grabs Power, UN Readies to Exit Syria, World Humanitarian Day, and Russia Joins the WTO

<p>Former Egyptian defense minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi receives a medal from Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi at the Presidential Palace in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency/Handout/courtesy Reuters)</p>
Former Egyptian defense minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi receives a medal from Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi at the Presidential Palace in Cairo. (Egyptian Presidency/Handout/courtesy Reuters)

By experts and staff

Published
  • James M. LindsayCFR Expert
    Mary and David Boies Distinguished Senior Fellow in U.S. Foreign Policy

The World Next Week podcast is up. Bob McMahon and I discussed Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi’s decision to cashier several generals; the impending expiration of the UN observer mission in Syria; World Humanitarian Day; and Russia joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).

[audio: https://www.cfr.org/content/publications/media/editorial/2012/20120816_T…]

The highlights:

For more on the topics we discussed in the podcast check out:

Egypt’s Power Transition. Steven Cook discusses what Egyptian president Morsi’s power grab means for Cairo and Washington. The Washington Post notes the significance of Morsi’s consolidation of power for Egyptian politics. The Wall Street Journal reports on Hillary Clinton’s discussions with Egyptian leaders. The Huffington Post contends that the Egyptian military is slowly warming up to Morsi’s leadership.

The UN Observer Mission in Syria Expires. The Guardian reports that the UN observer mission in Syria is likely to end this month. Human Rights Watch recommends that UN monitors should remain in Syria. Kofi Annan gives “departing advice on how to save Syria” in the Financial Times. Reuters reports that Syria would accept Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi to replace Kofi Annan.

World Humanitarian Day. The UN has launched a campaign to encourage good deeds for World Humanitarian Day. AlertNet reports that aid workers are struggling to meet the needs of suffering Syrians. Reuters notes that the UN humanitarian aid chief Valerie Amos is looking to increase aid to Syrian civilians. Al-Jazeera reports on Amos’s talks with the Syrian deputy minister of foreign affairs in Damascus.

Russia Joins the WTO. The New York Times reports on Congress’s failure to pass a bill to repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment, especially in light of Russia’s failure to cooperate on Syria. World Politics Review reports on the domestic implications of WTO accession for Russia. The Moscow Times reports on how Russia benefits from joining the WTO.