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UN Connections
The World Federation of United Nations Associations Newsletter
Issue No. 12 - September 2002
(1945 - 2002) UN 57
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www.wfuna.org
| The UN Confronts Terrorism |
By: Edward C. Luck
In no field had the UN's reputation for being long on codifying law and short on implementing it been as richly deserved as in countering terrorism. But all that changed with the terrorist attacks on the United States of last September. Recognizing that it would take the cooperation of many countries to starve sophisticated terrorist organizations of funds, arms, space, and recruits, the Security Council quickly and unanimously voted to create its Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) to monitor what individual states were doing and to assist those that had the will but not the means to crackdown on terrorists and their suppliers. This bold step, however, also underlined how little thought had been given to the UN's potential place in the struggle against terrorism.
To correct this, Secretary-General Kofi Annan established last Ocotber a Policy Working Group on the United Nations and Terrorism. Chaired by Kieran Prendergast, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, and composed of top UN officials and a few independent specialists, including this author, the Group recently completed the first strategy paper on how the UN might best contribute to the global campaign against terrorism. It sees UN roles in helping 1) to dissuade disaffected groups from adopting terrorist tactics, 2) to deny groups and individuals the means to carry our such attacks, and 3) to sustain cooperation among the many governmental, non-governmental, and inter-governmental actors involved in counter-terrorism. In terms of dissuasion, the report stresses the importance of protecting human rights both in discouraging and responding to terrorist incidents. It insists that the UN project an unambiguous message on the illegality and unacceptability of terrorism and develop more effective means of reaching audiences that might be sympathetic to the claims of terrorist groups. The denial strategy, while emphasizing the work of the CTC, also underlines the urgency of keeping weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists and of taking preventive action. Cooperation, the report notes, must begin at home, among the many potential players in the UN system, as well as extending to regional bodies and non-governmental organizations.
Though the report includes over thirty specific recommendations, its most durable contribution may lie in its delineation of tasks for the UN system that go well beyond its traditional strengths in the development of international law. In reviewing the report - which should be available in September - it is hoped that Member States will be encouraged to think of the advantages of international cooperation in new and more dynamic ways.
The author is the Director of the Center on International Organization at Columbia University.
| WFUNA Report Calls Upon Civil Society to Support Global Millennium Campaign |
 The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) announced the publication of "'We the Peoples': A Call to Action for the UN Millennium Declaration".
"The Millennium Declaration sets the global agenda for the 21st century. It will only be implemented if people all over the world actively participate. As the original peoples movement in support of the United Nations, WFUNA has member associations in over 100 countries around the world providing local leadership to the global effort to reach the Millennium Development targets" says Ambassador Donald Blinken, Secretary-General of WFUNA.
With the support of The North-South Institute (Ottawa, Canada) in cooperation with the School of Global Governance, London School of Economics, WFUNA has conducted an e-survey of over 5000 civil society organizations throughout the world to assess the level of awareness of the Declaration and seek out 'best practices' in its implementation.
"Significantly, over 90% of respondents said that they believed that the Millennium Declaration and its Development Goals were important for civil society." says Dr John Foster (NSI) author or the report. "The implementation of the Millennium Declaration and Goals provides fertile ground for a deeper ongoing collaboration between the United Nations and civil society organizations."
The report showcases the many ways in which civil society is working with the UN in providing solutions to a host of global challenges - from the alleviation of extreme poverty and combating HIV/AIDS, to sustainable development and the prevention of armed conflict.
"The emerging global civil society, in all its diversity, has a vital role to play at all levels - local, national, regional and global. There are many dividing lines within civil society, but it is around the values, policy issues and goals expressed in the Millennium Declaration that a global consensus has been emerging," says Pera Wells, WFUNA Deputy Secretary-General and leader of the team that produced the report.
Building on the initiative of this report, the World Federation of United Nations Associations proposes to develop an annual report of civil society engagement in the implementation of the Millennium Declaration.
Editor's Note: Copies of the report are available in English, French and Spanish. Contact Stephanie Rossi at 212-963-5610 or at rossi@wfuna.org.
Additionally, the report is available on the internet at www.wfuna.org.
| Annual DPI/NGO Conference to Focus on Post Conflict Situations |
Over 1,700 NGO representatives from about 90 countries around the world are expected to attend the fifty-fifth Annual Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) at UN Headquarters in New York from 9 to 11 September. The Conference is entitled "Rebuilding Societies Emerging from Conflict: A Shared Responsibility", and it will bring together government and United Nations officials and NGO representatives who have first-hand field experience in zones of conflict, as well as citizens who have lived through the violence or are in the forefront of civil society's recovery and reconciliation efforts.
In addition to five plenary panels and 30 NGO midday workshops, the Conference features keynote speeches by Yugoslavian President Vojislav Kostunica, Mary Robinson, in her last address to the NGO community as High Commissioner for Human Rights and Lakhdar Brahimi, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Afghanistan. NGO representatives from organizations such as Oxfam, the International Rescue Committee and Médecins sans Frontières are speaking together with senior UN, World Bank, and government officials.
“NGOs are at the heart of the recovery process — they are usually there before and stay after the international community’s involvement in conflict areas,” says Sherrill Kazan, Chair of the Conference. Recognizing the importance of broad cooperation and coordination in building a firm foundation of peace in post-conflict situations, the Conference will examine the common experiences of international efforts, their successes and shortcomings, and the best practices that people have developed to live together peacefully.
| UN Partnerships in Action: Implementing the Millennium Declaration |
Tip of the Day:
"Rebuilding countries emerging from conflict is a theme about which there is a great deal to learn and many opportunities for joint action, pooling the resources and expertise of the United Nations, governments and NGOs."
-- Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his message to the NGO Conference.
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| 1."Freedom From Want": The Development Agenda
Initiative to Grow Sustainable Business in World’s Poorest Countries Announced at Summit
At the World Summit on Sustainable Development major international companies agreed to partner with governments, labor and civil society to mobilize resources and expertise to address the scourge of extreme poverty in the world’s least developed countries. Over the next 12 months partners will identify business opportunities in specific least developed countries that are sustainable and designed to help grow local small and medium-sized businesses. Government will help facilitate the process through active participation, while labor and civil society groups will work as partners with companies in the development and implementation of specific initiatives. The initiative was the focus of a high-level roundtable discussion facilitated by the UN Global Compact – a corporate citizenship initiative launched by Secretary-General in July 2000. (UN Release 2 Sept)
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2."Freedom From Fear": The Security Agenda
UN's 'Operation Lifeline Sudan' helps 100,000 people displaced by clashes
The United Nations' humanitarian "Operation Lifeline Sudan" has launched an emergency push to assist up to 100,000 civilians displaced by recent fighting in the southern part of the country. Operation Lifeline Sudan - a consortium of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) as well as more than 35 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) - is targeting some 3 million people in need of humanitarian aid in southern Sudan. (UN News 4 September)
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3."A Sustainable Future": The Environmental Agenda
World Bank, GEF, WWF Announce Amazon Protection Plan
The Brazilian government partnered with the World Wildlife Fund, the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility at the WSSD in Johannesburg to launch a new initiative to triple the amount of Amazon rainforest in Brazil under federal protection. The new 10-year Amazon Region Protected Areas program will set aside 12 percent of Brazil’s total forest area in an effort that could also benefit local communities. The program is part of the World Bank-WWF Alliance for Forest Conservation and Sustainable Use, which was formed in 1997 to stem the loss of forest areas worldwide. The project is expected to cost $395 million, of which $81.5 million will be covered by the program’s partners in the first four years.
World Bank Launches Partnership To Protect Africa’s Congo Basin
The World Bank announced a $100 million partnership plan to protect the forests of the Congo Basin at this week’s World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, estimating that an area of forest three times the size of Belgium is cut down every year. Under the new partnership, the World Bank, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and nongovernmental organizations will monitor and evaluate the region’s forest ecosystem, create a regional network of protected forests and better manage harvesting of resources.
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4."Renewing the UN": The Institutional Agenda
States parties to International Criminal Court treaty open first session at UN
States parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) - the permanent tribunal for prosecuting individuals responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide - began their first session on 3 September at United Nations Headquarters in New York aimed at finalizing practical arrangements for the ICC's functioning. UN Legal Counsel Hans Corell told the gathering,"This is an historic day for the United Nations and the whole international community. We see the dawn of a new age in the pursuit of justice." Mr. Corell said that milestone in international law resulted from the unyielding efforts by States and, particularly, by civil society.
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In accordance with the principle of alphabetical rotation, Stefan Tafrov, Permanent Representative of Bulgaria, succeeds John Negroponte, Permanent Representative of the United States, as President of the Security Council for September. Lieutenant General Nikolay M. Uvarov (Russian Federation) succeeds Major General Daniel Bastien (France) as Chairman of the Military Staff Committee for September.
U.S. President George W. Bush plans to present a case for military action against Iraq during a speech before the United Nations General Assembly scheduled for Sept. 12.
The U.N. Security Council plans to adopt an anti-terrorism statement at a high-level session slated for Sept. 11. Council President Stefan Tafrov has prepared a presidential statement that will address the first anniversary of the acts of international terrorism, as well as the importance of implementing Security Council Resolution 1373 -- the resolution on terrorism the council adopted following the Sept. 11 attacks. Secretary General Kofi Annan is scheduled to attend the session.
| What's Happening at the UN |
55th DPI/NGO Annual Conference
Rebuilding Societies Emerging from Conflict: A Shared Responsibility
9 to 11 September 2002
UN Headquarters, NY
http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/55conf.htm
57th Session of General Assembly
UN Headquarters, NY
10 September - December
General Debate
(12-15, 17-20 September 2002)
http://www.un.org/ga/56/
World Summit on Information Society
Geneva, Switzerland, 10-12 December 2003,
and Tunis, Tunisia, 2005
Informal meeting on contents and themes:
Geneva, 16-18 September 2002
http://www.itu.int/wsis/
| Inside Global Civil Society: How it Networks |
Youth – Ask the Ambassador
Ambassadors to the United Nations in New York are ready to field questions from students around the world through a new feature on the UN CyberSchoolBus. Each month one UN ambassador will answer questions e-mailed by students as part of the site’s section on Model UN. The questions and answers will then be posted on the web site. Ambassador Sergei Lavrov of the Russian Federation is the first participant in the new feature.
Visit the site at http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/
Youth Employment Summit
Young people from around the world are meeting from 7 to 11 September in Alexandria, Egypt, at the Youth Employment Summit -– a global civil society initiative. All participants of the Summit are members of the Global Alliance for Youth Employment. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has applauded their effort and has called up the international community to fulfill the commitment it made in the Millennium Declaration to “develop and implement strategies that give young people everywhere a real chance to find decent and productive work”.
Digital Divide: A challenge for the African Diaspora in Europe
On 27 September 2002 a meeting will be held in the premises of the European Union’s DG for the Information Society (Avenue du Beaulieu, Brussels) on “Bridging the Digital Divide: a new challenge for the African Diaspora in Europe”. The aim of the meeting, which is being organized as part of the program of the UN Information and Communication Technologies Task Force, is to promote the creation of an international network called the “Digital Diaspora Network for Africa”, whose task would be to bring together entrepreneurs, academics and experts of African origin currently living and working in Europe to put their ideas, skills and resources to the service of the development of the African continent by boosting the use of ICT. Read the call for participation
NGO’s Worldwide Support UN Resolution for an International Day of Peace
In response to last years UN resolution designating September 21 of each year as an “International Day of Peace” with a global ceasefire and non-violence, many peace-based NGOs and individuals representing a wide variety of religious and spiritual traditions are advocating an “International Day of Peace Vigil”. The objective of the vigil is “To encourage the observation of a worldwide, 24-hour vigil for peace and nonviolence on the International Day of Peace, 21 September 2002 in every house of worship and place of spiritual practice, by all religious and spiritually based groups and individuals and by all men, women and children who seek peace in the world.” For more information: http://www.idpvigil.com
>Share your insights and experiences of participating in networks and partnerships shaping relationships between the emerging global civil society and the UN.
>Tell us all about "best practices", new initiatives, and how to optimize the benefits of information communication technologies.
>Send your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future issues to the Editor, Stephanie Rossi, at editor@wfuna.org.
UN Connections is a free bi-monthly publication of the World Federation of United Nations Associations, sponsored by the Ross Institute, USA, which was founded by Courtney Ross-Holst.
The opinions expressed by external authors solely reflect the viewpoints of those authors and do not represent the policy or viewpoint of WFUNA. The citing of organizations or campaigns does not constitute endorsement by WFUNA.
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