Select Committee · Foreign Affairs Committee

The UK’s role in strengthening multilateral organisations

Status: Closed Opened: 18 Jun 2020 Closed: 10 Sep 2021 2 recommendations 1 report

The ways in which states engage with multilateral organisations is changing. Increasingly, smaller groups of like-minded states are taking collective action to shape the agenda and influence policy. There has been a rise in influence of states who are members of multilateral organisations, but do not necessarily share all their values; this can lead to … Show more

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First report - In the room: the UK’s role in multilateral d… HC 199 17 Jun 2021 2 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
39 Recommendation First report - In the room: the UK’s ro… Acknowledged

We recommend that the Government’s engagement with multilaterals includes a tactical element of multilateral strategy...

We recommend that the Government’s engagement with multilaterals includes a tactical element of multilateral strategy such that it tracks the activities of authoritarian states within both higher and lower profile multilateral organisations, reports on implications of any moves to exert influence; and adjusts its interventions accordingly. We recommend that the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need to defend the multilateral system and protect organisations from those who seek to undermine them, stating it is consistently active in this area.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
43 Recommendation First report - In the room: the UK’s ro… Acknowledged

We recommend the FCDO should take strategic decisions with key allies as to which organisations...

We recommend the FCDO should take strategic decisions with key allies as to which organisations the UK should prioritise exerting influence over rather than expending diplomatic capital challenging like-minded states for influence. 22 In the room: the UK’s role in multilateral diplomacy 4 Organisation-specific conclusions and recommendations Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it continues to work closely with like-minded allies and partners to maintain multilateralism and collaborate on global challenges, and sees opportunity for closer work with the US.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Oral evidence sessions

8 sessions
Date Witnesses
2 Feb 2021 Beth Arthy · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Chris Jones · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HE Julian Braithwaite · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HE Neil Bush · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, James Kariuki · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Neil Briscoe · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon View ↗
8 Dec 2020 Angela Mudukuti, Anthony Dworkin · European Council on Foreign Relations, Peter Lewis · International Criminal Court, Sir Howard Morrison KCMG CBE QC · International Criminal Court View ↗
17 Nov 2020 Dr Yanzhong Huang · Council on Foreign Relations, Harpinder Collacott · Development Initiatives, Professor James Bacchus · University of Central Florida, Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox View ↗
20 Oct 2020 Bruno Min · Fair Trials, David Armond · Armond Consultancy Ltd, William Browder · Hermitage Capital Management View ↗
29 Sep 2020 Benjamin Ward · Human Rights Watch, Fred Carver, Hillel Neuer · United Nations Watch, Mahamane Cissé-Gouro, Peggy Hicks View ↗
15 Sep 2020 Dr David Nabarro · Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, Professor Ilona Kickbusch View ↗
1 Sep 2020 Dr Neil Melvin · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Hon Tony Abbott AC, Mr. Alex T. Johnson, The Lord Bowness CBE DL View ↗
23 Jun 2020 Ben Emmerson QC · Former UN Special Rapporteur on Counterterrorism and Human Rights, Her Excellency Sylvie-Agnès Bermann · China, the UK and Russia, Rt Hon Alistair Burt · Foreign and Commonwealth Office View ↗

Who gave evidence

32 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Angela Mudukuti 1
Anthony Dworkin · Senior Policy Fellow European Council on Foreign Relations 1
Ben Emmerson QC · Judge on the International Criminal Tribunals for… Former UN Special Rapporteur on Counterterrorism and Human Rights 1
Benjamin Ward · UK Director Human Rights Watch 1
Beth Arthy · Head of Global Funds Department Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Bruno Min · Senior Policy Adviser Fair Trials 1
Chris Jones · Director, Delivery and Analysis Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
David Armond · Director Armond Consultancy Ltd 1
Dr David Nabarro · Co-Director and Chair of Global Health Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London 1
Dr Neil Melvin · Director International Security Studies Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) 1
Dr Yanzhong Huang · Senior Fellow for Global Health Council on Foreign Relations 1
Fred Carver 1
Harpinder Collacott · Executive Director Development Initiatives 1
HE Julian Braithwaite · Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN… Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
HE Neil Bush · Head of the OSCE Delegation Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Her Excellency Sylvie-Agnès Bermann · former French Ambassador China, the UK and Russia 1
Hillel Neuer · Executive Director United Nations Watch 1
Hon Tony Abbott AC 1
James Kariuki · Multilateral Policy Director (outgoing) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Mahamane Cissé-Gouro 1
Mr. Alex T. Johnson 1
Neil Briscoe · Head of UN and Multilateral Department Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Peggy Hicks 1
Peter Lewis · Registrar International Criminal Court 1
Professor Ilona Kickbusch 1
Professor James Bacchus · Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs and Dir… University of Central Florida 1
Rt Hon Alistair Burt · Former Minister of State for the Middle East Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1
Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox 1
Sir Howard Morrison KCMG CBE QC · Appeals Judge International Criminal Court 1
The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon 1
The Lord Bowness CBE DL 1
William Browder · Chief Executive Officer Hermitage Capital Management 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
29 Jul 2020 To cttee A letter from the Foreign Secretary on UK involvement in elections to multilate…