Helen Clark's Diary - September
nine days in New York
In September I spent nine days in New York around the annual High-Level Week of the UN General Assembly. My time there was a whirl of meetings and events over a range of issues and with a range of organisations. I never cease to be fascinated by New York’s buzz, buildings, neon lights, and people. It’s a city for walking and for public transport - the traffic is relentless. I enjoyed my eight years there with UNDP, but am also happy to be home in NZ! Some of the many engagements I had in New York feature below.
A call for the UN Security Council to uphold its resolutions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
On 19 September I addressed the UN Security Council today on behalf of The Elders, calling on the Council to implement its resolutions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to uphold decisions and processes of the international courts deliberating on issues relevant to it.
The Elders meet Antonio Guterres
21 September
I was pleased to meet with Antonio Guterres at UN with The Elders to discuss the upcoming #SummitOfTheFuture and a range of international issues. Delegations were arriving in New York for the 79th UNGA next week. The world’s many crises and challenges were on the agenda for this important annual convening.
Climate Week NYC: “Standing Forest and Planetary Health”
23 September
I met with leaders of Brazil’s Amazon Concertation organisation who are dedicated to preservation of the Amazon’s ecosystems. Brazil hosts the annual Climate Change Convention Conference of Parties in 2025, and is looked to under President Lula to lead on climate action. Deforestation of the Amazon region of Brazil has dropped dramatically since Lula returned to office.
Deep Sea Conservation Coalition and Live Ocean event
24 September
New Zealand’s Bronwen Golder was leading at this important event which focused on keeping deep sea mining at bay to protect the ocean’s habitats and species, a cause I fully support.
Pandemics, Climate, Conflict: Preventing Future Shocks
On 27 September I was on a panel at the Pandemic Action Network UNGA side event. as a member of The Elders and as Co-Chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response..
There still has not been enough reform to the international system for pandemic preparedness and response. The negotiations for a new convention are mired at the World Health Assembly, financing is insufficient, and the same inequities in access to vaccines seen during the COVID-19 pandemic are seen again with the mpox emergency in Africa. More urgency on reform is needed.
A full recording of the event is available.
UN Women Leaders Network
27 September
Launch of the UN Women Leaders Network - a global intergenerational and intersectional group of women leaders. Its mission is to advocate for gender equal participation in leadership and decision making worldwide.
NEW ZEALAND
“AUKUS was ‘revenge’”
If nothing else raises serious questions about the AUKUS military partnership, then these revelations from Boris Johnson about its genesis should. It’s hard to think of any reason why New Zealand should associate itself with something which has been so dubious from the outset. More in Arnaud Bertrand’s post on X.
New Zealand joins US-Led exercises amid shifting strategic alliances
As well as the New Zealand Navy sending a tanker to support an Australian destroyer sailing through the Taiwan Strait last week (The Post), NZ went on to participate in exercises with the US and others in the West Philippine Sea. What is the real cost of New Zealand government realignment with US strategies?
THE LATEST FROM THE HELEN CLARK FOUNDATION
Insights from Bridging the Infrastructure Gap webinar
"It takes a village to take on this challenge...". From the Foundation’s recent webinar on infrastructure, Leilani Frew (Deputy Secretary – Treasury) discusses the need for an integrated approach to infrastructure.
To watch the entire webinar click the link below. To hear more from Leilani on how we should be collaborating skip to 29:30, and to 52:40.
"Debt is a useful tool... and some councils could be using it more". From our recent webinar on infrastructure, Simon Randall (Policy and Advocacy Manager for Local Government New Zealand) describes the advantage of spreading the cost of infrastructure over its lifespan.
Advocating for equitable infrastructure financing: insights from Parliament meeting
Deputy HCF Director Kali Mercier and Tamzin Linnell and Sophie Te Whaiti from WSP New Zealand met Kieran McAnulty MP to discuss recent Foundation reports on funding and financing infrastructure and climate adaptation, and the upcoming report on insurance issues around a volatile climate. Local governments are struggling to replace aging infrastructure while juggling inflation, population growt, and increasing impacts from climate change.
The recent HCF recent report covers options for transferring more revenue from central government to local authorities, and discusses why that will likely bring more equitable outcomes than relying on the blunt tool of rates.