May 28, 2013

NGO Committee Meets (Press Release), ECOSOC/6581 NGO/775

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/ecosoc6581.doc.htm

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UN-NGO accreditation entitles NGOs to speak at various UN meetings, have statements published on the UN website, hold panels on UN premises, distribute publications at UN venues, and attend UN conferences, among other things. This week the UN committee which grants such status refused to approve two U.S.-based giants supporting NGOs, and in many cases, their UN-based activities - the Ford Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The committee did not take an up or down vote, but postponed the decision at least until next January. In the case of Ford, the rationale for not approving the application: "The representative of Venezuela requested further information on its projects in Latin America." In the case of MacArthur, "the representative of China requested it correct on its website terminology regarding Taiwan Province of China." The questions now: How forthcoming will the Ford Foundation be about its Latin American activities that do not meet Venezuelan approval? Will the MacArthur Foundation buckle in the face of China's blackmail and alter its website? Or will becoming victims of the UN of the 21st century have any bearing on their grant-making in support of the UN?