Hi im Steve Clemons and i have a question is the United Nations still the go to place for the world to solve its problems lets get to the bottom line. The biggest Intergovernmental Organization in the world just turned 75 years old this year it was created by the big powers to prevent another world war and in that mission its generally succeeded but hows it doing on the other missions like securing peace and delivering health and humanitarian relief with regional war is raging with refugees and migration at an all time high and a Global Pandemic on top what a mess my guest today is mark lowe cox the point man for humanitarian relief at the United Nations and u. N. Speak he is the undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and head of the office for the coordination of humanitarian Affairs Emergency relief coordinator and the coordinator of its covert 19 global humanitarian Response Plan mark those are a lot of titles im so glad to have you here today let me just ask you you know what is your dashboard look like at the moment when youre looking at the parts of the world that perhaps are are are not front page news but theyre suffering from all sorts of maladies and as i said theres covert 19 hitting them just as its hitting us what does your dashboard look like. While worse than ask her 25 years or even a covert crisis isnt just a globally the biggest crisis that will set for 50 years and although its a virus so long to get to these very fragile conflict affected countries than it took to get to some of the places they are the most fragile the most honorable and yet sitting them harder than it is even anyone else not so much because of the direct effect of the virus and then having 1000 the disease a member elations up because of the consequences of that huge Economic Contraction the effects of lockdown measures they cause in place effect of getting a rerating Health Services so were looking at a really a really landscape at the beginning of this year i thought we would need to get humanitarian assistance so 140000000. 00 people across the planet one person in 50 now though its 250000000 thats the biggest increase weve ever seen in the year in a year and its entirely down to code that 250000000 people i just want to underscore that number thats your target for relief right now do you see the big Global Stakeholders lining up to give you the support you need. One of the features if this crisis is that. Were seeing very good collaboration among scientists much more than usually saying good collaboration among pharmaceutical companies i think they professional media has done a good job in getting basic factual information to 8001 of the greats that have no elaborated as well as the having the last days countries nation states and. It is a bit of a jarring disconnect that while the rich world has thrown everything the kitchen sink everything basically the problem of protecting their own people in their own economy more than 10 trillion dollars in fiscal support in a could see into the system they have not done the same in the way that they have done at some points in the past for example in 2009 in the financial crisis for the very poorest countries countries av had about 2 percent of the National Income made available to them and of course they dont have they domestic resources that the rich countries have so. It is surprising to me that not just as a general stayed out of self Interest Rate is there hasnt been a stronger response from the better off balls of the world to the weak of the world during this crisis so we can turn that around but we need to be quick if we we dont want to see huge damage and mark i know youve been out for a campaign of sorts for about 10000000000 dollars to help mitigate some of the impact of coping 1000 on various economies particularly in africa and that only 25 percent of that has has been met and i dont mean to be silly about it or or trite but 10000000000. 00 in the scheme of what some governments are talking about responding to this you know almost this trivial whats going on there. Well you are right i mean what is needed to protect they alter most vulnerable 10 percent of the bobo population probably is around 900000000000. For those 700000000 able to face the fact income of results is essentially already available on the Balance Sheets of the International MountainMonetary Fund and the well bank but they Share Holders of those institutions do need to give they instructions or authority to use those resources in that way and then probably in a another 30000000000 also mean what should be a multi uptake in foreign assistance some from for out of as you say just the year ends slice of that immediately in your monetary systems we were looking for another 10000000000. 00 now there is a paradox because we have seen increasing fund raising for humanitarian action in recent years last year we raised the records 18000000000. 00 and that allowed us to reach more than 100000008. 00 mm and certainly saved millions of lives. This year because if. We started the think you would need it but in fact me 40000000000 and we might get to 20 because i think we will have another fund raising red coat but it the gap between what we actually need and what were able to reggae is im afraid will be bigger than ever and that will mean that some of these problems probably will get out of control well see some things we thought we abandoned got rid of across the world like the return of famine like huge increases in charge mortality like reducing off expectancy and some of those things if way that you get out of control will come back to bite the richer countries so my argument as rich countries is that its not just about being generous its about the taking yourself from future problems as well. You tweeted out the other day something i found very compelling but would love to know more about which is that were about to see many of the gains on gender equality and gender advancement around the world womens rights the world back in this time because of the impact of coal that whats the connection you know is the last 50 is the suspension be the last 25 years have seen well its probably the most remarkable story in Human History 50 years ago most people on the planet moment 50 percent were living in the most direct strain poverty kids dying in childbirth people hungry all the time people not going to school who and i were the last 50 is that number is being reduced from more than 50 percent to a bit less than 10 percent its really an incredible story but what kobe has done in the last 25 weeks its put at risk 25 years to progress and. You know we can still limit the damage but all the things you talk about biting the lives of women and girls in particular you know 500000000 kids out of school who least half of them go in they countries with humanitarian problems many guys go to have a school now will never go back as we have in some better off countries youve seen a huge increase in gender based violence attacks mostly in their own home against women thats a consequences they stress is that people fail in the home when theres no income because big loss and job so on down through. All these things that puts at risk and that you know to put at risk a little more name they need to be because the risk all hasnt been. How it has been in the past really surprised. You know about 30 years ago believe it or not 3 decades ago when i was affiliated with the Rand Corporation rand put out a study at that time and and in it it said theres no major policy issue facing the United States at that moment that didnt have a Major International component whether you looked at drug issues or you looked at then what was concerned about Environmental Issues and maybe reframe differently from climate or you look at narco gangs you look at you know the whole whole wide variety of challenges facing the country were international and we seem to be at a time as i said a few moments ago where nations are in kind of a. You know its all about me mode im just interested with your experience in International Affairs how you turn that around how do you go out and get empathy built back so that you understand that sudan matters or yemen matters. Well i think you have to start with the facts and rand discovered that he is a guy who is a 100 times as true now that well has never been more interconnected look at the tiny amounts of time it took for this virus to travel around the whole planet a problem the stuff anywhere can get every way instantaneously in the modern world and in a way that wasnt true 25 years ago said years ago when rand. Everybody everywhere can see whats going on everywhere else all the time and so evil in general countries really have no excuse not to know whats going on but they also ought to be aware that even the poorest countries cant see whats going on in the better of the world and they dont understand when they have such huge problems they can get a bit more help and that creates that sets of risks in grievances. You know you have recently called out saudi arabia specifically and said it needs to do more as it as has promised to do in yemen it had a war over the last 6 years yemen is deteriorating id love the kind of see where you are with that but but whether or not there are other nations that need to be called out for not carrying their share of the burden right now in responding to these global crises and i would ask you about you know the country im in now the United States are we doing what we should be doing. Well i think that well the waitress problems and 2 crises when theres a strong leader in the United States and ive written spoken about that before why i think we saw that in the 2009 and im sure crisis when the u. S. Government were able to corral everybody in the g 20 to. Get old accomplish together and get the well and i. M. F. To put a lead. Financial basically on the just or countries we saw it in day really a china and demi in the 1980 s. Resort and dating with a boner in 20. So there were all the way stars best when they raise us leadership of the boat and does need to be shed in a fair way and i think its important to recognize that its still the case the u. S. Is the biggest financier of humanitarian action the biggest funder of for example unicef and the Un Refugee Agency and lawwell food program and other countries need to step up. When it comes to yemen i think the key point to note is that we have prevented a total tragedy with the loss of life running into the millions in yemen in recent days because despite a total destruction of the economy and the impact of the war we have been able to mount a huge the Worlds Largest humanitarian operation reaching 15000000 people more every month now were not doing that in 2020 in the only reason were not doing that is because countries who gave us money generously in 201829000 are not doing it the same extent now and last year saudi arabia was our biggest donor and i repeatedly said everywhere i could that i thought was a very good thing and i was grateful to them course they have long term interests in yemen its then a geography is permanent and they have to worry about the problems that the going to brew that have full not just the next few years but for the next century but i think there is a particular responsibility for a country like saudi arabia to keep financing these im saving humanitarian programs in yemen because of the georgia fein because of their role in the wider situation in the country. You know i cant imagine what the Work Environment is you have to navigate you know there was a reza late resolution just passed by the Un General Assembly 2 weeks ago passed by them that the United States and israel voted against in the you know when i ask United States you know have 5 problems with that was you know china and the spat with china the World Health Organization the you know the americans very frustrated with the w. H. O. Abortion policies a Climate Policies and this. And some language in the resolution about sanctions and so i guess when you know i you know and maybe it goes back to that old john bolton quote that the u. N. Works when the United States wants it work to work and it doesnt work when it when it doesnt but im just interested in this in this environment where youre trying to do global good and achieve global justice and create a different comments how bad are the spats between the big stakeholders right now over the these global justice and really pandemic issues and Global Health issues. Well across the history of the United Nations and west celebrate now 75th birthday this year if you alluded to the history of the un has seen lots of periods when nation state has struggled to get on with each other that was the case obviously throughout all of the code. And one of the one of the things United States is not mentioned is it is a stage on which the nations can at least talk and i can see what they can agree on and can at least have a dog in the things they struggle to korea they un there is also an act and one of my main responsibility is thousands of miles away from here in new york where im talking to you from a now where a lot of the between governments takes place out there in the countries where there are humanitarian problems and every year at the u. N. Through the programs i coordinate delivering food and water and education and health care and shelter to the courts up in these crises we reach more than a 100000000 people and im grateful to the donors who all in charity give us the money to do that because that that thanks millions of lives every year for the cheapest way to save your life act is to invest in our programs and they say things go on and are keeping going on even in the midst that they difficulties nations banks are only having at the moment in finding resolution to some of the problems you know mark there are a lot of criticism out there that the u. N. Doesnt operate as well as it should that it lacks efficiency that theres nepotism you know i dont want to put youre not the secretary general to carry that burden but you know i suppose with someone with such a distinguished career working both in the u. K. Government now in you know the worlds most Important International body are are there are there things that the United Nations can and should do to improve its performance. Well i came into this job. And so many good terraces request. You know thrown off years ago you know going to me because i thought not just back the u. N. Does a lot of important things and also and well but also crucially it has a as a whole a lot of things we need to get back to and the sector general was elected on the basis of a reform agenda making Good Progress so now i think my own responsibilities its try to make the humanitarian agencies as efficient and effective as possible and to deal with problems that weve had in assets like lots of all the sexes have had in recent times like im dating with Sexual Exploitation and abuse every Large Institution as i have found it has not dealt well with the payoff to women in this institution and the major organizations across the private sector of the experience in the church and multiples denominations that we share programs in the un but we ought to tenants i mean. To be honest we find problems mostly to be committed to find solutions to those problems because one of a fundamental truths about the way we do in the humanitarian sector is we might raise record amounts of money year on year but its never enough and we have to make sure every dollar rubs as hard as it can to get to the right people as so we maximize the suffering reduce and the number of lives saved and thats the motivating factor of president doing the best job possible. I recently saw secretary is not you know before the pandemic i think you know and i told him how much respect i have for you and your work but hes expressed a lot of frustration in the way the world has responded the pandemic and i have a sound clip from here that id like you to hear. When i listen to the voices of the use when i listen to the voices of the Civil Society i see there the seats that thought the roof the fire in a bunch better coordination in the future of our east coast and that mix like these so i am frustrated at the force with the left of International Cooperation at the present moment but i both that the new generation will be able to make some change in the future so im not asking this facetiously i mean hes making a very interesting observation and point and the point really is this do we need to kind of get beyond this narcissistic selfabsorbed generation of leaders and get to a new generation hold things together until we get to a net new generation where you see people like gratified emberg out there on climate you know in the United States we see there are the parkland kids out on you know guns and we see you know some sanity coming from a Younger Generation of people that want Something Different id love to get your take on whether the empathy that we need about people who not only need but really require belief in as you said their security is also our security whether thats going to become a generational opportunity well just put it that way rather than saying a chance or a shell crisis. Well i must say i mean i had some kids myself and then it tween the ages of 20 and 24 and i think this is a generation which is much more engaged and knowledgeable and soulful about they well theyre going to inherit and handsome little bit more critical of the generation that kind of for them than some other generations and i think thats a really good say when i engage with young people during the course of my word for example talking to them over the United Nations where we bring young people from all around the world to get paid and play the road saw their ambassador from their country in the u. N. All the leaders in the u. N. I see a lot of knowledge and skill and passion and commitment and determination but nothing that by where i am now is that well ok im going to inherit is a very interconnected world so its not just a matter of empathy that makes them want to engage without a safeword count its a matter of urgent selfinterest because all the programs theyre inherit saying travel across borders and a half they write down they future depends on the future of people in other parts of the world and i think i aint going to be a corroding determinant or im you know how International Public policy is going to have to be and dealt with in the period ahead no we fanning the fact that were obviously at the moment in a difficult period of dialogue and in africa collaboration between Member States we need to get out funk get back into and Cooperation Collaboration in everybodys interest and young people and inspire us to do that and well the moment we do that i think. You know mark i want to ask you something complicated and ask you to take your u. N. Hat off and maybe put your former British Government hat in just ask you a question of how you achieve the success you did because you used to direct Interaction International aid programs for the u. K. And as i understand it you got spending when i was spending is not everything you know but its but youve got to have people supporting it you have to have people believing it that you got it up to about 0. 7 percent most many people think we spend 70 percent you know on foreign aid but its really trivially small but that 0. 7 percent is a high bar and only a few countries hit the United States is up poultry poultry sort of a 5th of that level and im im just wondering what you do as a government to. You know incentivize to bring together you know the understanding and support that it takes to both make those tax dollars available but also to believe in the efficacy and importance of international programs. Well i mean the starting point is that there were 5 british prime ministers in succession over a 25 year period all of whom decided date that the u. K. Playing a strong role or International Development was something that was important it both for moral reasons and all the titians i think generally come into life in order to make a difference and this is an area where british politicians want to make a difference but also because the u. K. Is an island and is very affected by what happens as a small resume small country everywhere else in the world so i was starting point the 2nd thing that was very nice to be able to demonstrate if you are using more taxpayers dollars you are spending the money well and the fact that aid resources were contributing to saving more kids online fewer kids dying in childhood getting more kids going to screw increasing Life Expectancy reducing hunger but also promoting democracy and stability and better governance which is one of the things we saw all the sickly in the 1990 s. In the 1st decade in this century around the world people could see positive progress being made and the money beings and well he. Could also say on the question only that the domestic fiscus and of course as you said the u. K. Did get to the point where it was spending 0. 7 percent of its National Income on promoting these goes overseas but it was still spending 99. 3 percent of its National Income on things that people felt that was a reasonable balance well mark lowcock United Nations undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator thank you so much for joining us and sharing with us where the un is going and how youre responding to the copan 1000 crisis thank you so much thank you so whats the bottom line if you will. Mirror to our world like the United Nations does youll find fewer and fewer people who are interested in cooperating with their neighbors theres less empathy out there theres less concern for people who are on the same global boat and there are more and more communities adopting a me 1st attitude toward just about everything its hard to find people anywhere who are appealing to the better angels of our nature as Abraham Lincoln once said of course there are some who are working hard on global justice and relief and i dont want to forget them they are so important but they just dont have the tilt in these times and anyway we dont have much of a choice the United Nations is complicated its messy and its flawed but vital in these dark days and dark times and thats the bottom line. And that sees for the blind and a robotic arm for the disabled. Young australian engine is inventing tools to help people gain independence 37 i need these little side of that will be a volatile to recognize. The fire people will be able to recognise that every day women make science gals episode full on aljazeera. Building a wall was the promise made in the bid for the white house 0 tolerance approach the southern border became government policy detaining children and separating families the stark reality of picture too much to bear for Many Americans in a country that was built on immigration. Follow the key issues of the us elections on aljazeera water an essential resource for all humankind across europe pressure to recognise water as a human right and put its management back into public hands is increasing i think that the European Commission would be very very true there is water privatisation on anybody seriously and. People who see every 2 years something to invest a profit of they want or. To the last drop on aljazeera. I am fully back to bill in doha with a look at our top stories on aljazeera is 72 hour curfew has just come into effect in the u. S. City of louisville but protest says remain out on the streets there is anger after a grand jury ruled that Police Officers involved in the Fatal Shooting of a black woman Brianna Taylor used justified force her family has described the decision as outrageous and offensive the jury has indicted one of the 3 officers involved in the shooting for firing into her neighbors apartment protesters wants the Police Officers charged for matter or manslaughter demonstrations are also being held in and