Colum Lynch

Colum Lynch was a staff writer at Foreign Policy between 2010 and 2022.

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Articles by Colum Lynch
The General Assembly hall at U.N.'s New York headquarters on May 12, 2006. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
The General Assembly hall at U.N.'s New York headquarters on May 12, 2006. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

U.S. Pushes Back Against U.N. Anti-Violence Resolutions

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Colum Lynch
U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed speaks at the U.N. in February. (Devra Berkowitz/U.N. Photo)
U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed speaks at the U.N. in February. (Devra Berkowitz/U.N. Photo)

New Allegations Challenge the Environment Record of Top U.N. Official

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Colum Lynch, Siobhán O'Grady
A distraught Rohingya boy seeks handouts near the Balukali refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh on Sept. 20. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
A distraught Rohingya boy seeks handouts near the Balukali refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh on Sept. 20. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

For Years, U.N. Was Warned of Threat to Rohingya in Myanmar

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Colum Lynch
Audrey Azoulay, candidate for UNESCO director-general, delivers a speech at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Oct. 13. (Chen Yichen/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Audrey Azoulay, candidate for UNESCO director-general, delivers a speech at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Oct. 13. (Chen Yichen/Xinhua via Getty Images)

UNESCO Gets First Jewish Director, Day After U.S. Leaves Over ‘Anti-Israel’ Bias

The Cable
Robbie Gramer, Colum Lynch
A logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is displayed in front of the organization headquarters on September 14, 2011. AFP PHOTO MIGUEL MEDINA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)
A logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is displayed in front of the organization headquarters on September 14, 2011. AFP PHOTO MIGUEL MEDINA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)

U.S. to Pull Out of UNESCO, Again

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Colum Lynch
China's President Xi Jinping poses after delivering his speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on March 27, 2014. After a day devoted to multi-billion-dollar business deals, Chinese leader Xi Jinping trained his sights on culture and history today on the last day of his lavish visit to France. AFP PHOTO / POOL / Christian Hartmann (Photo credit should read CHRISTIAN HARTMANN/AFP/Getty Images)
China's President Xi Jinping poses after delivering his speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on March 27, 2014. After a day devoted to multi-billion-dollar business deals, Chinese leader Xi Jinping trained his sights on culture and history today on the last day of his lavish visit to France. AFP PHOTO / POOL / Christian Hartmann (Photo credit should read CHRISTIAN HARTMANN/AFP/Getty Images)

As U.S. Retreats From World Organizations, China Steps in to Fill the Void

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Colum Lynch, Elias Groll
People hold up placards to protest against US President Donald Trump's executive order suspending the resettlement of refugees and banning people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entry into the US, during a rally near the US embassy in Tokyo on January 31, 2017. Some 40 foreigners living in Japan participated in the rally, as a defiant US President Trump struggled to defuse a mounting backlash over his ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images)
People hold up placards to protest against US President Donald Trump's executive order suspending the resettlement of refugees and banning people from seven majority-Muslim countries from entry into the US, during a rally near the US embassy in Tokyo on January 31, 2017. Some 40 foreigners living in Japan participated in the rally, as a defiant US President Trump struggled to defuse a mounting backlash over his ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump to Cut Number of Refugees in U.S. by More Than Half

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Colum Lynch
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 19: President Donald Trump speaks to world leaders at the 72nd United Nations (UN) General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on September 19, 2017 in New York City. This is Trump's first appearance at the General Assembly where he addressed threats from Iran and North Korea among other global concerns. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 19: President Donald Trump speaks to world leaders at the 72nd United Nations (UN) General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York on September 19, 2017 in New York City. This is Trump's first appearance at the General Assembly where he addressed threats from Iran and North Korea among other global concerns. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Trump’s Belligerent Talk on North Korea Rattles Turtle Bay

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Colum Lynch
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 28: Iran President Hassan Rouhani sits before addressing the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters on September 28, 2015 in New York City. The ongoing war in Syria and the refugee crisis it has spawned are playing a backdrop to this years 70th annual General Assembly meeting of global leaders. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 28: Iran President Hassan Rouhani sits before addressing the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters on September 28, 2015 in New York City. The ongoing war in Syria and the refugee crisis it has spawned are playing a backdrop to this years 70th annual General Assembly meeting of global leaders. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Trump Efforts to Reopen Negotiations on Iran Nuclear Pact Fail

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Colum Lynch
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 19: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, September 19, 2017 in New York City. Among the issues facing the assembly this year are North Korea's nuclear developement, violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and the debate over climate change. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 19: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, September 19, 2017 in New York City. Among the issues facing the assembly this year are North Korea's nuclear developement, violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and the debate over climate change. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

At U.N., Trump Threatens to ‘Totally Destroy’ North Korea

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Colum Lynch
France's president Emmanuel Macron (L) laughs with US President Donald Trump before a meeting at the Palace Hotel during the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 18, 2017, in New York. / AFP PHOTO / ludovic MARIN (Photo credit should read LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images)
France's president Emmanuel Macron (L) laughs with US President Donald Trump before a meeting at the Palace Hotel during the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 18, 2017, in New York. / AFP PHOTO / ludovic MARIN (Photo credit should read LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images)

Trump Reaches Out to U.N., Criticizes Waste, in Debut Appearance

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Colum Lynch
UN Secretary-General-designate Antonio Guterres speaks during the ceremony for the appointment of the Secretary-General during the 70th session of the General Assembly October 13, 2016 at the United Nations in New York. The UN General Assembly on Thursday formally appointed Antonio Guterres as the new secretary-general of the United Nations, replacing Ban Ki-moon. The 193 member states adopted by acclamation a resolution appointing the former prime minister of Portugal for a five-year term beginning January 1. / AFP / Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
UN Secretary-General-designate Antonio Guterres speaks during the ceremony for the appointment of the Secretary-General during the 70th session of the General Assembly October 13, 2016 at the United Nations in New York. The UN General Assembly on Thursday formally appointed Antonio Guterres as the new secretary-general of the United Nations, replacing Ban Ki-moon. The 193 member states adopted by acclamation a resolution appointing the former prime minister of Portugal for a five-year term beginning January 1. / AFP / Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Before U.N. Summit, World Tells Trump His ‘America-First Fun’ Must End

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Colum Lynch
A staff removes the Iranian flag from the stage after a group picture with foreign ministers and representatives of Unites States, Iran, China, Russia, Britain, Germany, France and the European Union during the Iran nuclear talks at the Vienna International Center in Vienna on July 14, 2015. Iran and six major world powers reached a nuclear deal on Tuesday, capping more than a decade of on-off negotiations with an agreement that could potentially transform the Middle East, and which Israel called an "historic surrender". AFP PHOTO / POOL / CARLOS BARRIA (Photo credit should read CARLOS BARRIA/AFP/Getty Images)
A staff removes the Iranian flag from the stage after a group picture with foreign ministers and representatives of Unites States, Iran, China, Russia, Britain, Germany, France and the European Union during the Iran nuclear talks at the Vienna International Center in Vienna on July 14, 2015. Iran and six major world powers reached a nuclear deal on Tuesday, capping more than a decade of on-off negotiations with an agreement that could potentially transform the Middle East, and which Israel called an "historic surrender". AFP PHOTO / POOL / CARLOS BARRIA (Photo credit should read CARLOS BARRIA/AFP/Getty Images)

U.N. Group Says Iran Violated Rights of Two Detained Americans

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Colum Lynch
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at a press conference with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (not pictured) in Lancaster House following a meeting on September 14, 2017 in London, England. The US Secretary of State is in London for a special summit hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to discuss North Korea and Libya. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at a press conference with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (not pictured) in Lancaster House following a meeting on September 14, 2017 in London, England. The US Secretary of State is in London for a special summit hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to discuss North Korea and Libya. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Tillerson, Iranian Foreign Minister to Talk Nuke Deal Next Week

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Colum Lynch
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 12: Newly sworn-in Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres takes questions from reporters at UN Headquarters, December 12, 2016 in New York City. Guterres will replace Ban Ki-moon of South Korea on January. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 12: Newly sworn-in Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres takes questions from reporters at UN Headquarters, December 12, 2016 in New York City. Guterres will replace Ban Ki-moon of South Korea on January. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

U.N. to Join Congolese Authorities in Hunt for Killers of U.N. Experts

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Colum Lynch
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