Africa and the UN
AFRICA UNDERMNING UN CREDIBILITY?
The United Nations is an organization that does a great deal for Africa, it gives Africa a voice in international affairs, assists in humanitarian activities through UNICEF, UNDP, WHO, WFP, UNHCR etc. It is therefore in Africa’s interest to maintain the credibility and relevance of the organization. However, over the last two years the UN’s credibility and relevance has been greatly damaged, first there was the inability to enforce resolutions, quickly followed by the appointment of Libya to chair the Human Rights Commission and appointment of Iraq (under Saddam) as the Vice chair of a disarmament conference. A greater threat has emerged with the oil for food scandal, where an estimated $10 billion was diverted from assisting needy Iraqi’s to the pockets of Saddam and potentially UN employees, this scandal threatens to greatly damage the UN’s credibility as a manager of humanitarian efforts. The result of this is that there are growing calls for U.S withdrawal from the UN, or at least a reduction of US payments and with every scandal, these calls grow louder. The most recent blow was the election of Sudan into the UN human rights commission. A move roundly criticized by the US and human rights organizations. The election of a country that is supporting the systematic elimination of a people (in the Darfur region of Western Sudan), to a body that deals with human rights, and with sanction of African countries – especially after the Rwanda genocide – is very disturbing. African countries should be the most sensitive to human rights violations and should condemn them wherever they may occur, even in Africa. It is unfortunate that the quest to embarrass (or “outwit”) the US would lead to the undermining of the UN’s credibility. African countries owe a great deal to the UN and they should work to ensure that it remains as the premier organization in International Affairs.
The United Nations is an organization that does a great deal for Africa, it gives Africa a voice in international affairs, assists in humanitarian activities through UNICEF, UNDP, WHO, WFP, UNHCR etc. It is therefore in Africa’s interest to maintain the credibility and relevance of the organization. However, over the last two years the UN’s credibility and relevance has been greatly damaged, first there was the inability to enforce resolutions, quickly followed by the appointment of Libya to chair the Human Rights Commission and appointment of Iraq (under Saddam) as the Vice chair of a disarmament conference. A greater threat has emerged with the oil for food scandal, where an estimated $10 billion was diverted from assisting needy Iraqi’s to the pockets of Saddam and potentially UN employees, this scandal threatens to greatly damage the UN’s credibility as a manager of humanitarian efforts. The result of this is that there are growing calls for U.S withdrawal from the UN, or at least a reduction of US payments and with every scandal, these calls grow louder. The most recent blow was the election of Sudan into the UN human rights commission. A move roundly criticized by the US and human rights organizations. The election of a country that is supporting the systematic elimination of a people (in the Darfur region of Western Sudan), to a body that deals with human rights, and with sanction of African countries – especially after the Rwanda genocide – is very disturbing. African countries should be the most sensitive to human rights violations and should condemn them wherever they may occur, even in Africa. It is unfortunate that the quest to embarrass (or “outwit”) the US would lead to the undermining of the UN’s credibility. African countries owe a great deal to the UN and they should work to ensure that it remains as the premier organization in International Affairs.
posted by Githush at
8:43 PM
1 Comments:
Very interesting. As you know there are not very many 'solutions' out there, there is a huge movement of truth, but no direction, we though need a pysical form through the sates again, this movement online will be then moved into political form. Unless of course everybody puts of saving the world for tommorow. There is so much to do, the enviroment is manditory, for how else will any other ideas exist without life. This alone would take much time, and we are so far behind. But this is what they planned along time ago, create in the collective a feeling of hopelessnes, and doubt, then rendering it in-operative. Keep up the good work, as I continue reading them.
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