The World Next Week: U.S. Presidency of the UN Security Council

The World Next Week podcast is up. Bob McMahon and I discussed the United States’ upcoming presidency of the UN Security Council; World Bank president nominee Dr. Jim Yong Kim’s world “listening tour;” and Myanmar’s by-elections.

[audio: https://www.cfr.org/content/publications/media/editorial/2012/20120329_T…]

The highlights:

Further reading on:

The United States, the UN Security Council, and Syria. Kofi Annan will brief the Security Council on Monday about Syria. The Security Council called for Assad to accept the six-point plan. The United States was “disgusted” when Russia and China vetoed the February 4th resolution. The UN’s human rights chief Navi Pillay says Assad’s regime has “gone for the children.”

Dr. Jim Yong Kim’s Global Listening Tour. Everything you wanted to know about Kim but were afraid to ask. Kim lobbies for the World Bank job. Okonjo-Iweala offers her vision for the World Bank. What challenges will the new World Bank president face? Profiles of the candidates are available. Kim raps with Dartmouth students (around the 2:05 mark).

Myanmar’s By-Elections. What’s at stake in the Myanmar by-election? What’s going to happen on election day? Western countries are eagerly awaiting the results of the vote. Myanmar has undergone some “surprising reforms” to make this election possible. Aung San Suu Kyi’s father returns to help his daughter with her campaign. Myanmar’s currency will float beginning in April. Myanmar prepares itself for its first by-election.