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UGANDA A Multilateral Approach to World Issues An Interview with The Honorable Sam K. Kutesa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Uganda and President of the 69th United Nations General Assembly It’s playing the role but it can do more, be- with United Nations Framework Convention on cause there is now an increasing need for multi- Climate Change (UNFCCC) has set up a mecha- lateralism rather than unilateralism, and there is nism that will be holding meetings in Peru and greater need for a coalition to be formed around subsequently in Paris where we hope to con- the world. When you talk about issues like cli- clude an internationally binding agreement by mate change and economic development, the December of next year. This will be the real The Hon. Sam K. Kutesa best organizations to work with are multilateral measure of success. institutions such as the UN, the World Bank, How should the UN approach its role EDITORS’ NOTE Sam Kutesa is a businessman and IMF. in confl ict resolution? and a lawyer by profession. He has held his What interested you in overseeing the It’s important to do a number of things: current post since January 13, 2005. He is also 69th session and how do you envision the one is to have an early warning mechanism the elected Member of Parliament (MP) for role will pan out? that enables us to identify and prevent con- “Mawogola County,” Sembabule District. There is an increasing need for a multilat- fl icts that are about to arise. But in the event He holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree and eral approach to world issues, and this is what that these confl icts do occur, it is important to also holds the Diploma in Legal Practice from I think I should be doing within the United seek resolution while simultaneously pursuing the Law Development Center in Kampala. From Nations as its current President: to encour- peace-building. 1973 until 2001, Kutesa was in private law prac- age coalitions, to encourage all of us moving In my experience, particularly in Africa tice and served as a Member of Parliament (MP) together, because the world issues that confront over the past 10 years, I have seen that, if you for Mbarara North Constituency between 1980 us are best solved with a multilateral approach. take on confl ict resolution, you must simultane- until 1985. He was Attorney General between You have touched on some areas you ously focus on peace-building. 1985 and 1986. He served as a delegate to want to focus on further, the fi rst being the Not only must you resolve the confl ict, but the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 Post-2015 Development Agenda. Would you also you must begin to rebuild by addressing Ugandan Constitution. Kutesa was elected MP describe those efforts and what needs to be social and economic development, and address- for Mawogola County in 2001 and re-elected in done to make sure it’s implemented? ing the real issues that caused the confl ict in the 2006 and again in 2011. The Post-2015 Agenda is replacing the mil- fi rst place. lennium development goals, which were set So peace-building and confl ict resolution As President of the 69th United Nations up in 2000. There were eight goals; currently, must be undertaken simultaneously. General Assembly session, how would you a working group focused on a new round of How critical is it to have systems in describe the purpose and mission of the goals to succeed the MDG’s has come up with place to ensure that dialogue becomes ac- UN assembly? a proposal of 17 new goals. There is another tual progress? The United Nations was set up soon after working group that has been fi guring out how After passing resolutions, the UN needs to the Second World War, which took many lives to fi nance the implementation of these goals ensure implementation. I hope that we can have and caused much destruction in the world. and yet another working group that is focused a review of the implementation on the resolu- It was set up for three main purposes: to on transfer of technology and capacity build- tions we have passed, so as to evaluate how maintain world peace and security; to deal with ing. All of these groups are making reports to they have been implemented either by member economic and social development; and to main- the Secretary General who, in turn will submit states or institutions of the United Nations. It’s tain the rule of law. recommendations on how to implement and fi - possible to have a review mechanism so that we As a result, they set up six institu- nance this agenda to my offi ce and the General can continuously monitor implementation – this tions: the Security Council; the UN General Assembly. is one thing I want to introduce. Assembly, with all 193 member countries Is enough being done on climate change Do you need to establish metrics to in the world; ECOSOC, which deals with and how will you evaluate the success of track progress in these areas? economic and social issues; Trusteeship, for the session when it comes to addressing Yes, we have to fi gure out who is taking countries that have not yet gotten indepen- this issue? care of what and we need to give everyone dence; the International Court of Justice in the Climate change is going to be one of the timelines. Then, if something hasn’t been done, Hague; and the Secretariat. defi ning issues of our times, and I’m encour- we have to see the reasons and be able to solve The purpose was to deal with the things aged by the growing appetite to reach an inter- it that way. It’s important to have metrics to that had gone wrong before the beginning of nationally binding agreement. In the past, we track achievement. the Second World War and to prevent the re-oc- have had failures, but there is now a clear un- In addressing the major challenges currence of such wars and human catastrophe. derstanding of the importance of dealing with facing the world, will assistance need to In its operations, it has six committees issues of climate change. The world has expe- come from a public/private partnership dealing with issues from fi nance to the social rienced unprecedented droughts and fl oods, and does the private sector need to be en- and political realm. rising sea levels, and a host of other climate gaged more in their resolution? Is the UN playing the role it was set change-related tragedies. In an effort to deal Absolutely. Right now, when we talk about up to do? with this existential threat, the UN together fi nancing development, we are talking about VOLUME 37, NUMBER 4 POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2014 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. LEADERS 309 official development assistance (ODA). But They are increasingly coming to under- Returns in Africa are about 30 percent, even if all of these commitments of ODA were stand these things. In the past, diplomacy was which is higher than anywhere in the world. fulfi lled, it would still be insuffi cient to bring focused on talking about your country and in- The opportunities are abundant, so one should about transformative change. Even if all devel- troducing it to other countries. But as we stand be able to attract the private sector to come to oped countries paid the amount of money today in the world, diplomacy has changed to Africa. pledged by them, that would not be more than commercial diplomacy, where diplomats and Are the right changes being made to $190 billion per annum and a transformative even the UN must now promote commercial re- attract those who are concerned about the agenda requires about $1.8 trillion per annum. lations among nations and, even more so, work security of their investments? Therefore, to fi nance this agenda, we need toward a greater international trade regime that They have been made – Africa is more to get the private sector involved. However, the enables countries to have market access and secure now than ever before. There are more private sector doesn’t do things for charity – the technology transfer to help growing middle democracies in Africa now and more legal re- private sector does things for profi t. So we need classes in all parts of the world, which is actu- gimes that protect foreign investors. There is now to be imaginative in fi nding ways to incentivize ally in the interest of business – to create more greater understanding of the role of the private the private sector to come in and make sure consumers. sector than there was in the past. So the oppor- they not only make a profi t but they also help tunities are enormous. fi nance this agenda. I would encourage those investing in Africa How valuable is your extensive back- for its raw materials, however, to add value to ground for your role in leading the General those raw materials within Africa so that they Assembly? create employment. This is the direction that It will be helpful because I have been in- We need most African governments are taking. volved in negotiations as Minister of Finance What advantages does Uganda offer? for my country with the World Bank and with Uganda is very centrally located. We are IMF. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, I have been to create a global part of the East African community, which is involved in a lot of bilateral discussions and made up of fi ve countries; with a population of agreements to resolve confl icts within my own about 150 million people, which is a big mar- region in Africa.

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