Six former United States Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, from the last five presidential administrations, visited Georgetown last Tuesday to discuss “A more secure world: Our shared responsibility,” the report of the Secretary-General’s panel on threats, challenges and change. The Walsh School of Foreign Service Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (ISD) sponsored the event, which featured Peter Burleigh, James Cunningham, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Donald McHenry, Edward Perkins and current ISD Board of Directors Chairperson Thomas Pickering.
In the fall of 2003, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed a panel of 16 former heads of state, foreign ministers, and security, military, diplomatic and development officials to form recommendations for strengthening and helping the UN encounter new threats in the 21st century. The now-public report and executive summary were available to attendees.
UN research staffer Bruce Jones opened the afternoon discussion with a brief overview of the emerging issues in international relations that provoked the report investigation. “[The question was] could the UN reform itself to address new threats?” he explained.
The former ambassadors demonstrated positive yet pragmatic reactions to Annan’s document. “It’s an excellent start,” former representative McHenry said. “But there will be no swift change. (https://justsayyes.org) ”
Program moderator Pickering agreed. “We are all skeptical that this is something that will move quickly,” he said.
Former representatives Burleigh and Kirkpatrick addressed controversial issues that affect UN decisions today. Kirkpatrick, the U.S. Permanent Representative during the Reagan Administration, centered her analysis on humanitarian issues.
“One is too many, two is twice too many and three is appalling,” she said, in reference to widespread violence in Bosnia, Rwanda, and more recently, Darfur, Sudan. “We can do more regarding humanitarian disasters,” she added.
Burleigh emphasized the need for internal reform within the organization.
“The Secretary-General has very little authority over employees in the UN, with little scope to move employees, create new departments and evaluate personnel,” he said.
Tom Boyatt, former diplomat and member of the ISD Board of Directors, called corruption the “elephant in the room,” and asked the panel to further address the issue. The speakers echoed Boyatt’s concern, but were grim about prospects for change.
Jamie Ekern (MSFS ‘05) questioned whether the report had actually broken new ground. “Having read the report, I think it’s worthwhile,” she said, “but the same lessons are being repeated over and over again, and it just shows the monumental task of reform.”
