DOUBLESPECIAL DOUBLESPECIAL asdf The magazine of the United Nations BLE ISSUE UN Chronicle ISSUEIS 7PMVNF-**t/VNCFSTt Rio+20 THE UNITED NATIONS AT 70 ISBN: 978-92-1-101322-1 COVER.indd 2-3 8/19/15 11:07 AM UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION Cristina Gallach DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATION Maher Nasser EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ramu Damodaran EDITOR Federigo Magherini ART AND DESIGN Lavinia Choerab EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Lyubov Ginzburg, Jennifer Payulert, Jason Pierce SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT Maria Laura Placencia The UN Chronicle is published quarterly by the Outreach Division of the United Nations Department of Public Information. 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However, no part may be reproduced for commercial purposes without the expressed written consent of the Secretary, Publications Board, United Nations, Room S-949 New York, NY 10017, USA © 2015 United Nations. All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-92-1-101322-1 eISBN: 978-92-1-057482-2 Mailing Agent: Mercury Media Processing, 1850 Elizabeth Avenue, Suite #C Rahway, NJ 07065, USA Periodicals postage is paid at Rahway, NJ THE UN CHRONICLE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL RECORD. THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY and additional mailing ofces INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS, AS WELL AS THE BOUNDARIES AND NAMES SHOWN AND THE Postmaster, please send address changes to: UN Chronicle, c/o Mercury Media Processing LLC, DESIGNATIONS USED IN MAPS OR ARTICLES, DO NOT NECESSARILY IMPLY OFFICIAL 1634 E. Elizabeth Avenue, ENDORSEMENT OR ACCEPTANCE BY THE UNITED NATIONS. Linden, NJ 07036, USA VISIT THE UN CHRONICLE: http://unchronicle.un.org http://www.facebook.com/chronicleUN SUBSCRIBE TO THE UN CHRONICLE: https://unp.un.org/Chronicle.html Cover images: © UN Photo Page 2-71.indd 2-3 asdf The magazine of the United Nations UN Chronicle 7PMVNF-**t/VNCFSTt4FQUFNCFS Foreword Portraits of Secretaries-General 5 Maher Nasser 36 of the United Nations Message on the 70th Anniversary List of Presidents of the General Assembly 6 of the United Nations 38 of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon From Independence to Long-term Stability: Reflections on the UN at 70 40 United Nations Efforts in Africa 8 Kofi A. Annan Aïchatou Mindaoudou Seventy Years of the United Nations Working as One to Deliver 10 Boutros Boutros-Ghali 44 a Healthy Future for All Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré Independence and Impartiality as the Heart 11 and Soul of the Secretary-General A Key United Nations Moment Javier Pérez de Cuéllar 46 and Its Lessons Álvaro de Soto The Role of the United Nations in Ensuring 13 a Secure, Prosperous and Equitable World Preventing the Use of Child Soldiers, Sam Kahamba Kutesa 49 Preventing Genocide Roméo Dallaire and Shelly Whitman Towards a More Secure, 14 Just and Humane Future For We, the Peoples… Mikhail Gorbachev 53 Revisiting Dag Hammarskjöld’s Legacy 16 A Time for Bold Reforms Henrik Hammargren Gro Harlem Brundtland 56 Young at 70: The Promise of the United Strong UN. Better World: A Veteran’s View Nations Work with and for Youth 19 Margaret Joan Anstee Ahmad Alhendawi From Rhetoric to Reality: United Nations 58 The United Nations and Its Discontents— 22 Personnel are Driving Change An Academic View Navi Pillay David M. Malone Striving for Human Security 62 Three Simple Fixes for the Next 70 Years 25 Sadako Ogata Ian Richards A New Agenda: The Role of Multilateralism The First 70 Years of the United Nations: 28 in a Complex and Changing World 64 Achievements and Challenges Rima Khalaf Edward Mortimer Looking Back, Moving Forward From World Health to World Heritage 30 Amina J. Mohammed 67 Heidi J. Tworek The Ongoing Quest for Gender Equality Living Together 33 Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka 70 Yann Arthus-Bertrand Table of Contents.indd 3 8/12/15 3:09 PM 4 © UN PHOTO/GRANT NEUENBURG FOREWORD n the spring of 2014, we started preparations for the 70th anniversary of the United Nations in 2015 and began exploring options that, in addition to being celebratory, would also contribute to substantive discussions about our Organization. Producing this special double issue of the UN Chronicle was at the top of the list of platforms for such discussions. ITus in early 2015, we approached a wide, yet select group of eminent contributors who over the course of their careers have had strong associations with the United Nations, and invited them to join Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his three immediate predecessors in sharing their refections with the world through the UN70 issue of the UN Chronicle. We asked them to highlight key moments or achievements, challenges and obstacles and the role played by the United Nations. We also asked them to refect upon the future, and what would make the Organization stronger and better able to serve humanity and our planet. Tis is how this issue of the UN Chronicle was conceived and it is published under the theme, “Strong UN. Better World”. We are honoured and privileged to print their refections and ideas in this special issue, and we are confdent that these contributions will provide a stimulus for further discussion on the future role of the United Nations. In a special message on the 70th anniversary of the Organization, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “Te 70th anniversary of the United Nations is an opportunity to refect—to look back on the UN’s history and to take stock of its enduring achievements. It is also an opportunity to spotlight where the UN—and the international community as a whole— needs to redouble its eforts to meet current and future challenges across the three pillars of its work: peace and security, development, and human rights”. Tis issue is dedicated to this very notion of refection and taking stock of history’s lessons. Maher Nasser Director of Publication Evening view of the Headquarters of the United Nations, in New York. This picture, taken in January 1954 from the south of the UN site, shows the domed General Assembly building, the 39-story Secretariat and the UN Library (foreground) with, in the background, the East River and the Queensboro Bridge. UN CHRONICLE No. 1 & 2 2015 5 MESSAGE ON THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS © UN PHOTO/ESKINDER DEBEBE United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon greets well-wishers during a visit to his village, Eumseong, Republic of Korea, July 2008. By SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON ong before I became Secretary-General, the in UN blue, sacrifced their lives to restore security and United Nations occupied a special place in peace. In these ways, the great value of the United Nations my life. was imprinted on me—early, deeply, and, as it has turned I was six years old when the Korean War out, forever. broke out. I have vivid memories of my village Today, millions of people around the world continue Lin fames as my family sought refuge in nearby mountains. to look to the United Nations to ensure their safety, pro- But another image is even more lasting: the sight of the UN tect their children and help them secure their future. Teir fag and the many thousands working under it to respond needs and aspirations are my driving force. I know from my to our plight. We were saved from hunger by UN food relief childhood, and from decades of public service, the immense operations. We received textbooks from the UN so that my diference the United Nations can make. classmates and I could continue our education even though As we mark the 70th anniversary of the United our school had been reduced to rubble. And when we felt Nations, we can see a world that has changed dramati- scared and alone, and wondered whether the outside world cally since the Charter’s drafters gathered in San Francisco cared about our sufering, the troops of many nations, united in 1945. Membership in the Organization has grown, and 6 BAN KIMOON MESSAGE ON THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS new powers have emerged. Globalization, urbaniza- Yet we are keenly aware that there have been many tion, migration, demographic shifts, technological setbacks along the way, and that today’s landscape is advances, climate change and other seismic develop- scarred by confict, exploitation, displacement and ments continue to remake our societies and transform despair. In truth, the passage to establishing a world international relations. of dignity and peace for “we the peoples” is a never- We can also look back on a proud record of achieve- ending journey. ment. Te United Nations was founded to prevent anoth- Despite today’s difculties and the multiple crises er world war, and it has succeeded in that. In most parts on the UN agenda, I believe that all who work for and of the world, people are living longer, healthier lives. Our with the United Nations are fortunate to be serving at eforts have also helped to empower women, advance this time.