Kofi Annan at CGI

Last night a resolution to reform the UN was passed. Key issues are: Human Rights, Responsibility to protect and Intervention. Rwanda was used as a prime example. Annan expressed great pleasure in the passing of the reformation. He also received much praise from Clinton, which he reciprocated on the organizing of the Clinton Global Initiative. Challenges require collective action. You cannot have development without security and you cannot have security without development… and you can´t have either without respect for human rights.

Millenium development goals: We all have the power to make choices. We can step forward and take action. We are here to take action. Hold your government responsible. Examples were given of what we can do to help on each of the millenium goals: Poverty, Climate, Conflict, Governance. This conference has the same four topics as the millenium goals. Join the Global Compact to help globalization become more stable and inclusive. 2000 companies are already in. Kofi promised to work closely with the Clinton Global Initiative.

Clinton interviews Kofi Annan:

Clinton says that he consulted with Kofi before starting the CGI around the time of the UN GA and received his support. Clinton says that he had wanted for a long time to have a UN military operation ready to intervene in conflict areas since the time of Bosnia. He is pleased to see that it went through.

Annan says that it´s still a problem because there is no clear definition on the military resources that are available to the UN. In Darfour, the African Union took a corageous step and sent troops. Things were calmed in the region where the troops were sent but now they are being pulled out due to lack of fuel money.

Clinton intervenes and says that the UN does not have a budget to help out. Donor nations also can´t support other nations troops. In Haiti it was easy to get soldiers to go because it represented a good training opportunity and nations felt that soldiers would not get killed. But in Somalia, as soon as the soldiers started getting killed, nations pulled out. Clinton says that a working system is needed that is not yet in place.

What are the most important reforms that were not adopted? Nuclear proliferation and disarmament were not agreed upon. Four states blocked it, Kofi says. Some wanted to emphasize proliferation, others disarmament, and no agreement was reached. Annan was dissapointed.

• Bill Clinton
• Clinton Global Initiative
• human rights
• Kofi Annan
• millenium goals