NEWWORLD News and comment on the United Nations and UNA April–June 2005 A UNited nations For Larger Freedom and Democracy Looking Forward and Looking Back UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION A Radical Blueprint for UN Renewal Page 4 3 Whitehall Court London SW1A 2EL Tel: 020 7766 3444 Beyond Beijing Page 11 Fax: 020 7930 5893 Email: [email protected] The HighLevel Panel Report Page 14 www.unauk.org UNA60 Appeal Page 16 £3.00 Newer World Page 28 UNA-UK CONTENTS FROM From the Executive Director 2 A Blueprint for UN Renewal 4 EXEC The Commission for Africa 5 Strengthening Human Rights 6 Nuclear NonProliferation 8 The Challenge of Peacebuilding in Afghanistan 10 he last three months have seen enormous changes at both the Beyond Beijing 11 UN and UNA. There are a UN Resources 12 number of exciting develop- The HighLevel Panel Report Hits the Road 14 ments to report. TI am delighted to announce a new part- The UNA60 Appeal 16 Bringing UNA’s History to Life 17 nership between UNA-UK and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. The FCO has UNA Profile: The EBranch 17 tasked UNA-UK with organising a series of UNA Branches in UN60 18 nine national and regional public debates Letters 20 around the United Kingdom on the recom- Notice Board 21 mendations of the UN High-Level Panel Report (see page 14). The FCO minister Messages from UNA’s Honorary Presidents 22 with responsibility for the UN, Bill Rammell AdoptAMinefield 23 MP, has already participated in three such AGM, Annual Report and Accounts 24 joint events in London, Cambridge and Newer World 28 Leeds, which were organised at short notice in March. A further six national/regional and New World Subscription: up to 20 sub-regional events are planned for is published by UNA-UK Copies of New World are included in the the period May to July 2005. This national 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL membership fee for UNA-UK. consultation process, involving UNA mem- Tel: 020 7766 3444 bers in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland E-mail: [email protected] ISSN: 1742-0067 and England, is an example of the value of www.una-uk.org Editors: Veronica Lie and Sam Daws UNA's strong grassroots membership base, Advertisements: and how this strengthens our advocacy work Full page: £600 Design: John Schwartz, with government. As we renew UNA, we Half page: £350 [email protected] must do all we can to increase our member- Quarter page: £200 ship, making UNA more appealing and rele- Cover Photo: Finnish troops at UNEF To advertise please call observations post, Southern Sinai, vant to a broad range of ethnicity, class and Veronica Lie on 020 7766 3451 November 1975 (UN/DPI Photo). age. By the end of the year I hope that we will have a range of campaign materials for use by branches and regions at a local level, to raise The deadline for submission of material for the next issue of New World is noon on awareness about the UN, and to bring about Monday, 6 June 2005. The next issue will cover the period 1 July to 30 September change. 2005. Please send all contributions by e-mail where possible to [email protected]. In addition to securing significant funds Digital photos should be at least 300 dpi resolution. from the government for the national public JOIN UNAUK TODAY! UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL • Tel: 020 7766 3443 • Fax: 020 7930 5893 Membership costs £25 (£12 unwaged) per year or £35 (£14 unwaged) for two people at one address. 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Please feel free to photocopy this form if you do not want to cut it out of the magazine. 2 • NEW WORLD • April–June 2005 UNA-UK SAM DAWS UTIVE DIRECTOR debates, UNA has obtained a generous grant Richard Jolly. Over half the audience were reflects on the newly published Report of from the Polden Puckham Charitable Trust, UNA members, and after the event we the Commission for Africa. In the area of specifically for the renewal of UNA, and received many expressions of interest from peace and security, Sarah Carter and Alex from the Network for Social Change and the others in joining UNA. Ramsbotham review ways forward for the HT and LB Cadbury Trust for a redesign of Following a campaign by UNA's youth NPT whilst Nadia Shahbaz turns to the our website. However, our financial needs wing, UNYSA, Foreign Secretary Jack practicalities on the ground, providing a remain urgent and considerable, and in this Straw has agreed to fund three UK youth comment piece on the challenges facing issue of New World we are initiating a regular delegates to the UN General Assembly this peacebuilding in Afghanistan. On human giving appeal for funds to help preserve and autumn. This is an exciting opportunity rights, Laura Mucha reviews options for strengthen UNA. By donating £3 or more for young people to make a difference and reforming the UN Human Rights per month you can help to rebuild and to represent Britain at the UN, and a Commission, and outlines why the govern- renew UNA so that we can become a real major achievement for UNYSA. Mr Straw ment should sign up to the UN Migrant force for change in international affairs in has also agreed to sponsor two events to be Workers Convention. this country. I am personally extremely grate- co-organised with UNA to commemorate The UN itself continues to come under ful for the tremendous support that UNA UN60: the first on Monday, 27 June attack for ‘Oil for Food’ and allegations of members and supporters have given in the 2005, to mark the anniversary of the sign- sexual exploitation by peacekeepers. Up to past to this great organisation, and sincerely date briefings on these subjects appear on hope that in this year, UNA's 60th anniver- UNA’s website. sary, we can all give generously. I will provide As we renew UNA, UNA has been active in responding to a regular update on donations received “ media criticism of the UN, with a plethora through this appeal in New World over the we must do all we can of television and radio interviews on the next 18 months. to increase our BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and the British Forces UNA coordinated the 9th annual membership, making Broadcasting Service. With the support of Lobby of Parliament in London on 9 UNA more appealing the UN Secretariat in New York, UNA is March 2005, in partnership with Action seeking to establish a rapid-rebuttal unit to for UN Renewal, and a record number of and relevant to a broad respond to negative and inaccurate media participating organisations. Speakers range of ethnicity, coverage of the UN in the UK. UNA mem- included the Chair of the UN class and age bers interested in being part of this initiative Parliamentary Group, Tony Colman MP; ” should contact Veronica Lie at vlie@una- UNA Chair Sir Richard Jolly; CND Vice- uk.org, or 020 7766 3451. President Bruce Kent; Director of the UN New UN Chief of Staff Mark Malloch- Millennium Campaign Salil Shetty, and ing of the UN Charter; and the second on Brown has already produced welcome Amnesty International UK Parliamentary 10 January 2006 to mark the anniversary changes in UN efficiency, accountability Officer Maniza Ntekim. During the day of the first session of the UN General and openness. UN member states need to UNA members had a chance to put a Assembly, held at Central Hall, do the same. The US Inspector General for number of challenging questions to their Westminster in January 1946. The details Iraq Reconstruction has condemned the MPs, and we will ensure that the momen- of these events will be finalised following mismanagement of billions of dollars of tum to hold the government to account on the general election. funds by the Coalition Provisional its policies toward the UN is maintained. The feedback from the initial re-design Authority in Iraq. The CPA should now The Lobby indicated strong support for of New World in January has been over- demonstrate the same transparency and the UN from MPs and Peers from across whelmingly positive. In response to sugges- accountability that the UN has voluntarily the political spectrum. tions we have, in this issue, increased the subjected itself to. When the UN Secretary-General visited size of the font used, and the number of With his new report ‘In Larger Freedom’, the UK on 10 February, UNA had a promi- photographs, as well as the space given to Kofi Annan challenges member states to nent role in an event at the Banqueting UNA activities and feedback. choose a renewal of the UN and multilater- House in Whitehall to express British sup- This issue of New World continues to alism over a descent into wider conflict, port for the United Nations and for Kofi develop UNA's core programme themes. increased inequality and the erosion of Annan personally. The Secretary-General On the MDGs, Zarin Hainsworth of international law. UNA-UK has a vital role gave an inspiring speech, which received UNIFEM UK reports on progress since the to play in mobilising political will to positive responses from the Prime Minister, original UN Conference on Women in strengthen the UN at this crucial moment the Foreign Secretary, and UNA Chair Sir Beijing in 1995 and Sir Richard Jolly in world history.