[Al Jazeera] ECOSOC: Who Gets A Seat At The Table?

Hostile environment at the Economic and Social Council ahead of debate on ESG Regulations, as country representatives vote Mexico out of the room. 

The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) is currently gathering in Maastricht, Netherlands, for a four-day conference under the issue of “Addressing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Issues in Privately-Owned Businesses.” Discussions began on Saturday morning, aiming to find sustainable solutions for ESG reporting worldwide. However, country representatives have yet to find a path toward effective international cooperation.

When asked by the chairpeople to select one delegation to exclude in the event of emergency, the majority of votes fell on Mexico. Nine country representatives, including the delegates of France and Pakistan, had raised their hands in a clear message about the expendability of the Central American nation. Chairperson Adriana Lucero-Dost formally acknowledged ECOSOC’s decision, the repercussions of which will most likely unfold in the days to come. 

With this adversarial vote, the conference is not off to a good start. “Not one of you will have José José,” the delegate of Mexico exclaimed after the vote, referring to the country’s famous Latin pop singer. While for now, Mexico is allowed to further attend the ECOSOC sessions, this clear sign of hostility disrupts friendly discussion and raises questions of equality in international cooperation.

The hours before the vote were marked by a tense atmosphere. “If anyone tries to throw me out, you will go down with me,” the representative of Sweden threatened fellow council members. Meanwhile, Brazil boasted years of military experience, and Saudi Arabia warned about their remarkable “survival skills”. “I regularly practice kickboxing”, the delegate of the United Kingdom put forward.

Why the discussion deviated from the challenges of ESG-reporting to debating which country is the most expendable in international diplomacy, remains unclear. And while the country representatives should start focusing on changes in international ESG regulation soon, the Mexican delegation remains the victim of an unjustified and unnecessary diplomatic attack – sending a poor signal for international diplomacy.

Some delegations attempted to restore a harmonious atmosphere. “I want to bring people together to eat,” Nigeria proposed a more friendly solution. Assuming the role of lifeguard, the Republic of Korea pledged to keep other nations safe in case of emergency. “I can be there for you,” the Turkish delegation promised the council.

However, friendliness in diplomacy often comes with a hidden motive. The United Kingdom, too, had promised everyone a pint at the bar, and France had pointed to its history of successfully maintaining international diplomacy, right before both raised their hands against their fellow ECOSOC representatives. 

The vote threatens to impede the effectiveness of the ECOSOC summit. The Mexican representation will need to decide how to react to the hostility that it was just exposed to. “My friends, what would the world do without Mexico”, the delegate lamented, but were unable to avert the decision. The coming days will have to show whether this will result in an adversarial relationship between Mexico and the nations that voted the country out of the room, or if constructive diplomacy can be restored at the ECOSOC summit.