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ANNUAL REVIEW 2020 Annual Review 2020 FINDING HUMANITY IN TIMES OF CRISIS ANNUAL REVIEW 2020 Annual Review 2020 THE ELDERS The Elders are a group of independent leaders, brought together by Nelson Mandela in 2007, who use their collective experience and influence for peace, justice and human rights worldwide. MARY ROBINSON BAN KI-MOON GRAÇA MACHEL CHAIR DEPUTY CHAIR DEPUTY CHAIR LAKHDAR BRAHIMI GRO HARLEM BRUNDTLAND ZEID RAAD AL HUSSEIN HINA JILANI ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF RICARDO LAGOS Martti Ahtisaari, Ela Bhatt, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu provide continued wisdom and support as Elders Emeritus. Kofi Annan (1938-2018) was a founding member of The Elders and served as Chair from 2013-2018. Cover image: Ban Ki-moon shares an origami “peace crane” to mark the 75th anniversary to crane” image: Ban Ki-moon shares an origami “peace Cover 2020. Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in August bombing of the atomic of JUAN MANUEL SANTOS ERNESTO ZEDILLO 2 Annual Review 2020 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR “We have all become acutely and intimately aware of the fragility of human existence and the extent to which our fates are interconnected, not just across borders but down the generations.” Mary Robinson 2020 was a devastating year for millions of people disdains scientific evidence and social cohesion. across the world, in terms of health, security, No nation can tackle this threat on its own, prosperity and community. regardless of its power or size. COVID-19 turned the world upside down, and In 2021, we must apply this lesson to the other even though we can all take heart from the roll- existential threats facing humanity, not least out of vaccines, it is clear that we will be living the climate crisis. In the words of the Secretary- with the pandemic and its impacts for much of General of the United Nations, António Guterres, the year ahead. “our future security and prosperity depend on bold climate action”. This means we must all collectively work to restore cooperation and compassion as the It is certainly welcome that the US has re-joined necessary guides of world affairs: from pandemic the Paris Agreement, and that the EU, UK and preparedness and responding to the threats of some of the most vulnerable countries have climate change and nuclear weapons; to racial already significantly strengthened their 2030 justice, gender equality and respecting the rights targets to cut emissions. But the US, Japan, China of migrants and refugees. and other major emitters must now follow suit well ahead of the COP 26 summit in Glasgow in In 2020, The Elders adapted to the new realities November 2021 – there can be no more excuses of the pandemic by increasing our online for delay or prevarication. engagement across a range of platforms, including a series of intergenerational blogs on the climate The climate crisis, like COVID-19, knows no borders crisis from young activists, and a collaboration with and pays no attention to national sovereignty. the “Finding Humanity” podcast series – a digital We have all become acutely and intimately aware debut for our group, which we are delighted to be of the fragility of human existence and the extent able to reprise for a second series in 2021. to which our fates are interconnected, not just In the year ahead, the new Administration of Joe across borders but down the generations. Biden and Kamala Harris as President and Vice- 2021 must be a year of enlightened and President of the United States offers the chance empathetic action, with leaders and citizens for a “reset” not only in the national politics of the alike acting in a spirit of solidarity, inclusion and US but in international relations as a whole. generosity of spirit. The pandemic has starkly exposed the failures of narrow nationalism and populist politics that Mary Robinson 3 Annual Review 2020 FOREWORD BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE “The Elders will remain flexible and vigilant in their defence of global cooperation and justice.” David Nussbaum 2020 was a year unlike any other in The Elders’ Elders and Secretariat staff alike adapted rapidly to thirteen-year history. COVID-19 changed the the new constraints and work continued primarily context in which The Elders works, and the way through digital advocacy and media outreach. We we work across the organisation, and it is clear also continued with activities to mark the 75th that the political, social and cultural impacts of anniversary of the founding of the United Nations the pandemic will be far-reaching for many years in June, including the publication of our new to come. report “Hope for a sea-change: Why multilateralism must reshape the world after COVID-19”. Before the pandemic came to global prominence, our focus was already on existential threats such Travel restrictions meant that both board meetings as climate change and nuclear weapons, and the in 2020 were held online, rather than in Hiroshima indispensability of a shared multilateral response and London as had been our intention. Despite the to these challenges. formidable challenge of navigating diverse time zones and other logistical issues, I am encouraged This was the message that Mary Robinson and that we successfully convened two sets of Ban Ki-moon delivered at the unveiling of the substantive discussions which helped set our “Doomsday Clock” in Washington DC in January collective agenda and now guide our work in 2021. 2020. It gives me no comfort at all to note how prophetic their warnings were, nor how At the time of writing, we cannot predict how, timely their call for a renewed commitment to when and to what extent international in-person multilateralism remains. activities will be possible in the current year. The Elders will remain flexible and vigilant in The first two months of 2020 began with our usual their defence of global cooperation and justice. busy pace of activity, including a meeting between Whatever form the global recovery takes, it is Ban Ki-moon and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed essential that it is rooted in the values of peace, bin Salman in Riyadh, and a high-level delegation justice and human rights. to the Munich Security Conference in February. However, further travel plans came to an abrupt David Nussbaum halt in March as global lockdowns were imposed Chief Executive to try to contain the spread of the virus. 4 Annual Review 2020 COVID-19 3 Chair’s Letter changed the 4 Foreword by the Chief Executive context in which 7 Elders’ Mission and Strategic Plan The Elders 8 Nuclear Non-Proliferation works... Whatever and Disarmament form the global 12 UN and P5 Engagement recovery takes, 14 Climate Change it is essential 18 Conflict Countries and Regions that it is rooted in the values of 20 Refugees and Migration peace, justice and 22 Universal Health Coverage human rights. 24 Access to Justice 26 Communications and Engagement 28 Financial Review 31 Advisory Council Information 5 Annual Review 2020 THE ELDERS’ VISION AND WORK The Elders was founded in 2007 by Nelson The Elders also seek to give a voice to some of Mandela to “support courage where there is fear, those who are voiceless, for example through foster agreement where there is conflict and sharing their experiences publicly when they inspire hope where there is despair”. hear directly from marginalised people about the consequences of conflict or other failures Charged with this mandate, the Elders use their of leadership, or bringing those stories into independence, collective experience and influence international forums. to work for peace, justice and human rights worldwide. Working both publicly and through The Elders’ range of approaches to their work private diplomacy, they engage with global leaders has included: and civil society to resolve conflict and address its o International travel (country visits, speaking at root causes, to challenge injustice, and to promote international conferences, holding high-level ethical leadership and good governance. and grassroots meetings) The organisation’s collective identity is strongly o participation in virtual international events and rooted in the mandate bestowed by Mandela, meetings years of collective endeavour and a shared sense o Letters sent privately, sometimes with a public of mission and values. The Elders’ independence statement issued in parallel and integrity are fundamental, enabling them to speak freely and boldly, working both publicly and o Private discussions with government and other behind the scenes to help tackle complex and leaders seemingly intractable issues. o Convening or co-hosting meetings and events with select public audiences The Elders’ role is often catalytic: they create space for others whose causes are aligned with their o Public statements, often with follow-up media vision for a better future, and aim to strengthen work, opinion pieces, blogs or interviews. the voices of emerging leaders with integrity. 6 Annual Review 2020 Photo: The Elders / Ralph Alswang Many of the issues on which The Elders work ELDERS’ MISSION cannot neatly be contained within one theme, AND STRATEGIC PLAN but encompass elements of two or all three. The Elders favour a holistic approach which considers The 2018-22 Strategic Framework has been all the diverse aspects to any geopolitical problem, designed to provide institutional coherence to and includes the range of relevant stakeholders ongoing policy and communications activities. when trying to arrive at a sustainable outcome. The Elders’ Strategic Framework is arranged In particular, equality for women and girls is a around three key themes: theme through every area of our work. We also seek to empower young people and promote o Governance and Leadership intergenerational dialogue to arrive at sustainable o Conflict, its Causes and Consequences solutions for current and future generations. o Inequality, Exclusion and Injustice One comparative advantage of the group is that Under the umbrella of these three themes, its members represent no vested interest and The Elders focus on six programmes of work.
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