Ban Ki-moon’s United Nations
By Dr Qaisar Abbas
Maryland

 

The National Press Club’s Ballroom in Washington DC, where the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, is speaking tonight on pressing international issues, is full of diplomats, journalists and government officials.

Everyone is eager to learn what the most influential leader of the most popular (and controversial) global organization will be saying about today’s hot topics.

As we start the dinner, NPC President John Hughes begins introducing the journalists and dignitaries at the head table sitting by the keynote speaker. About half an hour into the dinner, the august speaker takes the podium with a thunderous applause from the audience.

The audience burst into applause when he declares “We are the first generation that can end poverty, and the last that can take steps to avert the worst impacts of climate change.”

With this powerful statement, he calls upon the world community to act now or it will be too late: “There are still some people who do not want to acknowledge the problem…but by any standard, scientific evidence clearly tells us that climate change is happening, is approaching much, much faster than they expected.”

Speaking on the Middle East conflicts, he seems to be as cautious and diplomatic as expected.

He reiterates the United Nation’s recent appeal to the fighting groups in Yemen to observe cease fire allowing the UN humanitarian staff to help the affected people.

Knowing that the request has been completely ignored by the Houthi fighters, rival forces and the Saudi coalition carrying out air strikes inside Yemen, he is desperately trying to refocus on the humanitarian toll of the conflict adding that two out of three Yemenis relied on humanitarian assistance even before the current turmoil.

To my surprise, Ban Ki-moon conveniently avoids commenting on the legality of the Saudi led air strikes inside the international borders of Yemen. Then I realize, imperatives of international power politics, sometimes, become more credible than the necessities of the international law!

Given the complexities of the Syrian quagmire, his position appears to be ambiguous and reactive. To him, when all the concerned parties in Syria--the rebels, the UN and the mediating forces--are sharply divided on the Syrian issue, it is hard to find a reasonable solution to the conflict.

Ban, as the NPC president calls him, is trying to convince the audience in so many words that his organization is doing its best in meeting today’s challenges that include the chaos in the Middle East, poverty, climate change, extremism, violence, children’s education, pandemics and gender equality.

Reminding the audience that he has never seen so many crises related to terrorism and human rights violations ever before, he declares there are so many opportunities waiting for us today besides these challenges.

His organization, he says, faces a huge challenge to accomplish its goal to lift 700 million people out of extreme poverty besides convincing the world on the crucial role of justice, institutions and fundamental freedoms.

Another challenge would be to follow up on the progress made during the last 15 years on the Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ) on poverty, disease and education.

Besides repeated assurances that commissions have been formed or advisors have been asked to report on certain issues, he offers little on what proactive strategies are being formulated for resolving burning issues, especially extremism, violence, children’s education and development initiatives.

Achievements and failures of the United Nations aside, listening to a kind of policy statement from a person, who has successfully faced complexities of global politics and challenges for two terms as its Secretary General since 2007, means something.

As he retires from his position in December 2016, his successful career as a former diplomat of South Korea and as the top UN leader, reflects his committed work as champion of reducing world poverty, educating children, raising women’s status, and taking the challenges of climate change and sustainable development. For sure, he will be leaving the organization with several mile stones on the road to global peace and progress.

Ban Ki-moon ends his presentation on a lighter note announcing that he has recently appointed the James Bond 007 fame movie star Daniel Craig as the UN Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines. But the title didn’t come without a reminder as the Secretary General told the superstar “You have license to kill, now I am giving you something very important, humanitarian. I am giving you a license to save.”

Metaphorically speaking, United Nations has a similar role to play in today’s dangerous world: Convincing the powerful world leaders that although they have the muscle to wage wars, they also have immense ability to save humanity from hunger, poverty, violence and extremism.

I leave the event with the impression that the United Nations is increasingly becoming an organization interested more in post-crisis management than pre-conflict mediation.

Perhaps the docile role the organization has been playing, also suits the world powers and super powers as it widens their maneuvering space and influence in the global arena.

(Qaisar Abbas, PhD is a freelance writer and consultant on media strategies, grant writing, research and evaluation. He is based in Maryland, United States, and can be reached at qaabbas@gmail.com)

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