Members of the mixed unit of demining police in an area near Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine, 24 October 2023. (Keystone/Andrew Kravchenko/AP)

Ukraine’s government official explains why his country put landmine treaty on hold. With nearly a quarter of its land contaminated, Ukraine is the world’s most mine-affected country, due to their widespread use by Moscow. Last summer, Kyiv signalled its intention to suspend its participation from the Ottawa Convention banning their use and production – a difficult move Ukrainian minister Ihor Bezkaravainyi says was a matter of survival.

🖥️LET’S TALK AI. UN officials said yesterday they are pressing ahead "at lightning speed" – at least in relative UN terms – with plans for a two-day meeting in July aimed at bringing together over 100 member states and other stakeholders on how to shape the future of AI, as new uses of the technology continue to outpace efforts by countries to govern it.

What is it? The so-called Global Dialogue, which will take place in Geneva just before the ITU’s AI for Good conference, was established by a General Assembly resolution last summer that also created the Independent Scientific Panel on AI. The scientific body of 40 experts, which is meeting in Madrid this week, will submit a report to the 6-7 July dialogue.

What they said. Egriselda López, El Salvador’s ambassador to the UN and co-chair of the AI Global Dialogue said the meeting would be a first in bringing different stakeholders together in one “inclusive space” and will build on discussions that have already taken place on AI governance, rather than duplicate them. “The intention is not to re-write what has already been decided, or override member states, but just to connect the dots,” she told reporters in Geneva. Discussions will be grouped into different "clusters" of issues, include AI and safety, interoperability, and human rights.

‘Better late than never’. That was the UN’s tech envoy Amandeep Gill’s response when asked if these efforts were a little behind the curve. However, he also argued that it was still early days for the powerful technology. “The science panel, in fact, will help us to see what’s coming around the corner and how policies and governance approaches need to be adjusted,” he said.

– Kasmira Jefford

Some 321 parliamentarians from 126 countries took part in a secret ballot last week that saw Anda Filip selected as the IPU’s next secretary general, starting on 1 July 2026. (IPU)

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has named Anda Filip as its next secretary general – the first woman to hold the role in the organisation’s 137-year history. The Romanian national will succeed Martin Chungong of Cameroon, who’ll step down after 12 years at the helm on 30 June.

Filip won over 70 per cent of the vote in a secret ballot at the IPU Assembly, a meeting of its main political body, held in Turkey last week, pipping four other candidates to the post. The veteran diplomat has been at the organisation for over 20 years, most recently as director for member parliaments and external relations. Before joining the IPU, she served as Romania’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva.

Often dubbed the UN for national parliaments, the Geneva-based organisation promotes peace and democracy through parliamentary diplomacy, also providing technical assistance. It comprises 183 national member parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies.

– Kasmira Jefford