The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has been overseeing the election process. MONUSCO has been doing peacekeeping operations in the country since 2010 when it took over operations from the previous peacekeeping force sent by the United Nations.

The First Congo War began after conflict from neighboring Rwanda spilled over into the country, which was at that time known as Zaire. The first war ended in 1997, but the Second Congo War began one year later. The second war was the biggest war in modern Africa and is considered the most deadly conflict since World War II. It involved eight African countries and several armed groups. In 2003, the war was ended with the creation of a transitional government, but there is still conflict in many areas.

Joseph Kabila first came to power after the assassination of his father, Laurent Désiré Kabila, in 2001. An attempted coup took place in Kinshasa in 2003; the plotters of the coup were defeated in 2004. Joseph Kabila won the country’s first postwar election in 2006. Etienne Tshisekedi is a co-founder of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UPDS); he currently leads the UPDS.

Many expect elections to result in increased levels of violence, especially in Kinshasa. Kinshasa is the country’s capital and one of its most populous cities. There is a chance that election results will be disputed regardless of who wins. If there is a dispute of the election, it will be mediated by the Chairman of the Independent National Election Commission, Daniel Ngoy Mulunda.

The Court consists of 15 judges who are elected after being nominated by the national groups in the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Each judge is elected by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council to serve a nine year term. Each judge can be elected to only two further terms and elections are held every three years with one third of the judges up for election each time. The court is designed to represent the different civilizations and legal systems of nations around the world, covering civil law, criminal law, and socialist law. The main function of the court is to rule on contentious issues between adversarial states looking to settle a dispute. The court also provides advisory opinions when United Nations’ agencies seek the help of the Court on deciding complex legal issues.

The statutes of the International Court of Justice automatically cover all 192 members of the United Nations, although non-members can become party to the court’s jurisdiction. Countries that are party to the Court’s statutes are entitled to participate in cases in front of the court, but being a party to the Court’s does not always give the Court jurisdiction over parties involved in a dispute.

The power of the ICJ often comes into question though as its rulings and its power appear weak to many. In many cases the states involved can ignore the ruling by the court if they do not agree with it, though at times two sides bring a case in front of the court with full agreement ahead of time that they will abide by its ruling. The ICJ is not an autonomous group with full power as its rulings can be vetoed by the UN Security Council. Another knock out against the court is its inability to hear cases from individuals and private groups looking to have a ruling by their national Supreme Court overturned.

This international and legally binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide was already signed by 192 countries. The first Conference of the Parties (COP), i.e. the countries which signed the convention, took place in Berlin 28 March – 7 April 1995. The 15th annual conference has the capital of Denmark as its host: Copenhagen.

2009 marks an important year for the fight against climate change and global warming: the countries have to find follow-up rules after the Kyoto Protocol which will end on 31 December 2011. Many people are already asking for a “Copenhagen Protocol” as a substitute for the Kyoto Protocol – the only binding document under international law related to world climate politics.

The impressions of the current UN climate conference are conflicting, but the participants seem to know about the consequences of a rise or fall of new binding agreements. Therefore, good diplomacy should be pursued by all – only little frictions could damage the large project in Copenhagen. A first look-up was caused by a representative of Tuvalu which seems to be especially threatened by the rapid climate change.

One of the key problems is a question of wealth: in how far will developping countries concede when it comes to a regulation of their mobility? People in China and India also have a right to drive their own private car which produces carbon dioxide. How much financial support will come from industrial nations to support poorer countries?

There is not much time left to make important agreements: the United Nations Climate Change Conference will end on 18 December 2009. Then, important steps for the preservation of our mother earth should be made. The world needs a “Copenhagen Protocol”.