<nettime> Ronald McDonald Weds Ms McUnicef

["Soenke Zehle" <soenke.zehle@web.de>]

Check this one out (in my hometown, btw, the local university hospital is
about to open a children's cancer ward sponsored almost exclusively by
McDonalds).

For background on the action, also see the Alliance for a Corporate-Free UN,
a preeeddy good campaign
(http://www.corpwatch.org/campaigns/PCC.jsp?topicid=101).

I just read Bruno's _earthsummit.biz_, useful stuff (see the site above),
especially the reminder that the discourse of sustainability, along with the
activities of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
(created in the early 90s to make sure Rio/Agenda 21 would be
business-friendly) killed earlier efforts to install some
corporate-accountability-branch within the UN (UN Centre on Transnational
Corporations, UNCTC). The Centre acted as a focus with the UN on all matters
relating to TNCs but was closed in 1993, its activities were transferred to
UNCTAD's Division on Transnational Corporations and Investment (DTCI) - I
guess that's the closest you get to dissolving it altogether.

Most of the history of the now-dead-and-never-really-functional UNCTC
(1975-92) is no longer on the web, but I think it's important to retrieve
it  - the agenda of transnational regulation of corporate activity is not
new, and some attention to why UNCTC failed might affect current efforts to
transform WTO/WB et al. Will post excerpts from Bruno on this if there
is interest (assuming that he'd want this stuff to be shared...).

In this context, it's also worthwhile to check out the ICC (Int'l Chamber of
Commerce) docs
on why & how they've been lobbying the UN
(http://www.iccwbo.org/home/icc_and_united_nations/working_with_un.asp).
Beautifully honest: "ICC's status as the UN's business dialogue partner
dates
back to 1946, when it was granted the highest level consultative status with
the UN through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). During most of this
period, however, relations between the UN and business were frequently
marred by mutual suspicion, and sometimes antagonism." Antagonism? Can you
believe that? That's because them post-colonial types keep pestering the UN
about some ageny that will supervise the corps now invading their
territories. But we can rest assured: "In recent years, perceptions have
changed fundamentally"
(http://www.iccwbo.org/home/icc_and_united_nations/icc_and_un.asp). Right.

Soenke

http://www.earthrights.org/news/mcunicefpr.html

Alliance for a Corporate-Free UN
McUnicef Partnership Exposed

Ronald McDonald Weds Missy McUnicef

Missy McUnicef marries Ronald for money.
November 21st

In a glittering ceremony at Unicef Headquarters in New York City, Ronald
McDonald and Missy McUnicef were married yesterday, with Rev. Kenny Bruno of
EarthRights International presiding.

During the ceremony, Missy McUnicef vowed to obey Ronald McDonald "so long
as he continues to make financial contributions" to Unicef. Ronald McDonald
promised to "contribute a miniscule percentage of my exorbitant profits to
children's charities, so long as the partnership scheme gets kids to nag
their parents to take them to McDonald's yet again."

The wedding took a dramatic turn just after the vows. When asked if anyone
knew any reason why the two should not marry, the crowd of spectators from
NGOs, most of whom were associated with the Alliance for a Corporate Free UN
all shouted "YES!." Reverend Billy proceeded to provoke the bride into
accusing the groom of being bad for children. During their public spat, the
not-yet newlyweds nearly broke up on the spot, as they confronted the
evidence that Unicef is good for children while McDonald's is bad for
children.

However, in the end, Missy McUnicef relented, saying "I know it's gross, but
I need the money." The couple left immedately after consummating the
marriage for their honeymoon at McDonald's in Times Square, where the
restaurant was promoting McDonald's World Children's Day.

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