UN still plays vital role in dealing with global ills, Annan says
22 February 2005 – Although buffeted in recent months by allegations of mismanagement, corruption and other scandals,
the United Nations remains an organization indispensable to the international community’s ability to deal with worldwide
problems such as poverty and security, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today.
The recent example of the UN-led tsunami relief efforts, as well as the world body’s ongoing involvement in rebuilding
Iraq, demonstrate the UN’s central role in a wide range of matters as well as its continuing importance to humanity, the
Secretary-General wrote in an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal.
Mr. Annan acknowledged the UN’s imperfections and stressed the efforts he has made over the eight years of his term to
improve and strengthen the organization. “I had already done a lot – with the support of Member States, often led by the
US – to make the UN more coherent and efficient. Now we need to make it more transparent and accountable – not only to
diplomats representing member governments, but also directly to the public.”
The Secretary-General also stressed that the UN could not expect to survive into the 21st century unless ordinary people
throughout the world felt that it did something for them – helping to protect them against conflict, but also against
poverty, hunger, disease and the erosion of their natural environment.
“In recent years, bitter experience has taught us that a world in which whole countries are left prey to misgovernment
and destitution is not safe for anyone,” he wrote. “We must turn the tide against disease and hunger, as well as against
terrorism, the proliferation of deadly weapons and crime – starting, urgently, with decisions from the Security Council
to end the abominable crimes in Darfur and bring war criminals to international justice.”
He pointed to a high-level summit in September as “a real opportunity to make the UN more useful to all its members,”
and noted that he will put before the assembled world leaders “an agenda of bold but achievable proposals for making the
UN work better, and the world fairer and safer.”
“I know that Americans want to do that as much as any people on earth. More than any other people, they have the power
to do it – if they listen to and work with others, and take the lead in a concerted effort. I believe that they will
give us that lead. I look forward to September with hope and excitement,” he said.