UN Reform

Jan-Jilles van der Hoeven - November 2005

Content

• Introductory Remarks

• Process towards the Summit

• UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

• UN Reform - Follow-up

• Concluding Remarks

Introductory remarks – Why reform?

• International Context

• Interdependence

Commitment vs. Implementation• The last part of the past century –

Commitment in mayor Summits and Conferences

Introductory remarks – Why reform?

Introductory Remarks – Political Will

UN Reform• From review of the Millennium Declaration

to UN Reform

Introductory remarks

Content

• Introductory Remarks

• Process towards the Summit

• UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

• UN Reform - Follow-up

• Concluding Remarks

Process towards the Summit

• Development and security, and… Human Rights

• The reports

• The negotiations

Content

• Introductory Remarks

• Process towards the Summit

• UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

• UN Reform - Follow-up

• Concluding Remarks

UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

Freedom from Fear Freedom from Want

Freedom to live in Dignity

UN Reform

UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

• Freedom from Fear– Non-proliferation and disarmament– Security Council – Peace Building Commission– Terrorism

UN Reform - Peace Building Commission

Outcome = Proposal• Member States agreed to a Peace Building

Commission, Support Office and Fund.

UN Reform - TerrorismProposal: 1. “…any action that is intended to cause death or serious

bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants, when the purpose of such an act, by its nature or context is to intimidate a population or to compel a Government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act, constitutes an act of terrorism.”

2. Conclude a comprehensive convention on terrorism before the end of the 60th session of the GA.

Outcome1. “We strongly condemn terrorism … as it constitutes one

of the most serious threats to international peace and security

2. “Stress the need to make every effort…convention on international terrorism…”

UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

• Freedom from Want– National Strategies and UN country team– Quick-Wins– Aid, Trade and Debt– Environment

UN Reform – Aid, Trade and Debt

UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

• Freedom to live in dignity– Doubling the OHCHR budget– Human Rights Council– Democracy– Responsibility to Protect

UN Reform – The responsibility to protect

“Each individual State has the responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity”

“The international community [is]… prepared to take collective action, through the Security Council…should peaceful means be inadecuate and national authorities are manifestly failing to protect their populations from genocide…”

Content

• Introductory Remarks

• Process towards the Summit

• UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

• UN Reform - Follow-up

• Concluding Remarks

UN Reform – Follow-up and implementation

• Follow-up– Member States of the General Assembly– UN Secretariat– UN System

Follow-up – Member States

Letter Jan Eliasson – President GA. Themes proposed by Member States for inmediate follow-up

Development – NEPAD – Migration – Monterrey – ECOSOC reform – System wide coherence –

Central Emergency Revolving Fund – Peacebuilding – Human Rights Council – UN Management Reform – Terrorism – Counter

terrorism strategy – Responsibility to protect – Security Council Reform – Charter amendments

Follow-up – Member States

Development – NEPAD – Migration – Monterrey – ECOSOC reform – System wide coherence – Central Emergency Revolving Fund –

Peacebuilding – Human Rights Council – UN Management Reform – Terrorism – Counter terrorism strategy – Responsibility to protect –

Security Council Reform – Charter amendments

What themes are on the “real” agenda?• Peacebuilding Commission• UN Management Reform• Human Rights Council• ECOSOC reform• UN Management reform

Follow-up – UN Secretariat and System

• Implement policy guidance provided by the Summit Outcome document

• Action in four clusters– Institutional innovations– Oversight and audit arrangements– Financial and Human Resources– System-wide coherence

Content

• Introductory Remarks

• Process towards the Summit

• UN Reform – Proposals & Outcomes

• UN Reform - Follow-up

• Concluding Remarks

Concluding Remarks

“UN institutions will only be as strong as the energy, resources and attention devoted to them by member States and their leaders”

High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change