A view from the United Nations
December 2005
Changing the tone: General Assembly President Jan Eliasson reaches out to Civil Society
By Vicente García-Delgado, CIVICUS UN Representative (New York)
There was a sense of expectation and satisfaction among civil society representatives at the UN as the President of the 60th Session of the General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Jan Eliasson (Sweden) convened his first informal briefing with the NGO community on December 16. Focusing on the follow-up to the September 2005 World Summit, www.un.org/summit2005 the meeting sets the stage for what - it is hoped - will be an era of more meaningful, integrated civil society participation in the work of the General Assembly. Mr. Eliasson, whose professed belief in the relevance of a strong civil society participation in all political processes is well known, aims to work closely with United Nations accredited NGOs in regard to the follow-up and implementation of the GA Resolutions adopted at the World Summit in the areas of Human Rights, Peace and Security, Development, and Reform of the United Nations. To this end, Mr. Eliasson’s Office plans to convene a series of briefings, both of a general nature, ie, Implementation and Follow-up, as well as on specific thematic issues.
Mr. Eliasson opened the meeting, which was attended by approximately 200 NGO representatives, by restating the need for maintaining close contacts with the NGO community. Not only is civil society the bridge between the United Nations and “We the Peoples”, he offered, but civil society is also making an ever larger contribution towards achieving the goals of the United Nations in the field. He noted that it was often NGOs in the field who would broadcast the first warning signals of potential conflicts and humanitarian disasters. Furthermore, he pointed out that “reforms” per se are of little value unless they produce beneficial results on the ground, and that civil society plays an important role in testing those reforms where they count the most.
Referring to the World Summit’s Outcome Document as containing the most ambitious General Assembly resolutions in 60 years (for example, by codifying the notion that “solidarity does not stop at the border” - responsibility to protect), Mr. Eliasson emphasized that the three pillars of the OD, Development, Security and Human Rights, reflect the high aspirations and expectations of our time.
These expectations are within reach, but they can be achieved only on the basis of a deeply shared commitment to multilateralism, and the political will needed for this is still lagging behind.
Mr. Eliasson talked about the Peacebuilding Commission as a reflection of what he called a paradoxical historical situation where, on the one hand, the global nature of the challenges confronting humanity is well understood (avian flu, climate change, migration or drug trafficking, for example), but on the other hand there remains in many quarters a sense of “suspicion” that multilateralism hides within itself an attempt to interfere with domestic issues.
The only way out of this paradox, he suggested, is to strengthen the United Nations and make it more effective. This process involves changes in the management of the Secretariat; developing a common strategy to fight terrorism; revitalizing ECOSOC, and mobilizing public opinion with regard to the Millennium Development Goals - www.un.org/millenniumgoals
There are at present two realities, he said: there are real problems, such as hunger, poverty and disease, and there are real dreams and aspirations of people as to what the United Nations can and should do. And only one word that can provide an answer to both: “together”.
There is no question that Mr. Eliasson takes civil society seriously, which is not altogether surprising as he comes from a country, Sweden, where citizen participation in the political debate and its incidence in the political process are the order of the day; it is even less surprising considering the Ambassador’s long and distinguished career in the areas of conflict resolution, mediation and humanitarian affairs - www.un.org/ga/president/60/office/president.html
Mr. Eliasson is a firm believer in the value of the many civil society contributions to the goals and objectives of the United Nations. He is making a real effort to reach out to civil society, and we have no doubt that civil society will be eager to take on the challenge. We at CIVICUS welcome Mr. Eliasson’s gesture and, while wishing him well in his mission as President of the UN General Assembly, stand ready, along with the NGO community accredited to the UN, to work with his Office in a cooperative and diligent manner.
In solidarity,
Vicente García-Delgado, CIVICUS´ UN Representative
Please send your comments to CIVICUSUN@aol.com or visit CIVICUS blog at http://civicus.civiblog.org/blog
Below you will find all previous columns:
• Argentina: Thriving without the IMF
• The Big Letdown: UN Summit shortchanges the poor
• The World Summit : UN Reform will mean little unless poverty eradication tops the agenda
• Millions roar but the G8 whispers - Let the Millennium+5 Summit make up the difference
• “Global Justice - Northern citizens have a special responsibility to make it happen”
• Letting the United Nations be all that it can
• “Appointment with History: The world looks up to John Bolton to help achieve the MDGs”
• “We are rolling!: Civil society’s call for poverty eradication impacts the World Economic Forum and the Group of Seven”
• No more excuses!: The Tsunami must not be allowed to wash away the Millennium Development Goals
• A Call To Action 2005: Global Civil Society mobilizes to demand an end to poverty and the fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals
• TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT: Should civil society and the Global Compact live under the same UN roof?
• The UN Global Compact: A big red herring disguised in UN blue?
• Happening now: A global revolution of consciousness
• Lasting security for all: Shifting from state security to security of the people
• The UN – Permanently relevant or temporarily relevant?
