President Obama leads with fresh thinking at 64th UN General Assembly
Surya B. Prasai
September 25, 2009
The 64th UN General Assembly which started in New York on September 15 has been termed a remarkable one. The important highlight this year has been the optimistic speech of President Barack Obama calling for fresh thinking on a number of important global issues concerning the future generation, namely: climate change, nuclear disarmament, the global food crisis, the HINI pandemic and the international financial and economic crisis. The UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon speaking before the meeting to UNTV had predicted that the 64th UN General Assembly would be one of the most historic and crucially important ones.
The major issue for both developed and developing countries this year has been global climate change which was a side focus of another important meeting held on September 22. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon noted, "The climate change summit is by far the largest summit ever in the history of the UN. We expect more than a hundred heads of state will participate. What we aim is that world leaders should play as global leaders in addressing this global challenge."
From the outset, President Obama´s speech hinted at a more pro-active role of the UN in international affairs. In his first UN appearance since taking the Oval Office, Obama staked a new lofty position for the US as he promised that the US is "determined to act," and that the US "will meet our responsibility to future generations."
The Boston Globe in highlighting President Obama´s speech, noted it was punctuated at least eight times with long applause, given his sharp break with the past administration´s policies, and in renewing past themes of the Obama presidential campaign. The Globe stated, "He exhorted world leaders to act together to combat global warming, nuclear proliferation, extreme poverty, and continuing conflict in the Middle East." In fact, world leaders rushed to congratulate Mr. Obama after his maiden appearance, which resulted in 24 minutes of vigorous handshaking, despite repeated calls from UN General Assembly President Libyan Foreign Minister Ali Treki speaking in English, Arabic and French for all to return to their seats.
While acknowledging that it would be difficult to address the climate change issues without coming together to take action on a treaty slated in December in Copenhagen that would combat the current barriers, President Obama noted, "We cannot allow the old divisions that have characterized the climate debate for so many years to block our progress." But, he added, "as we head towards Copenhagen, there should be no illusions that the hardest part of our journey is in front of us." The President noted that developed nations have "caused much of the damage to our climate over the last century," and "still have a responsibility to lead." However he cautioned that those rapidly-growing developing nations that will produce nearly all the growth in global carbon emissions in the decades ahead must do their part as well. Some of these nations have already made great strides with the development and deployment of clean energy. Still, they will need to commit to strong measures at home and agree to stand behind those commitments just as the developed nations must stand behind their own. We cannot meet this challenge unless all the largest emitters of greenhouse gas pollution act together. There is no other way".
Mr. Obama was hopeful that wealthy countries would provide "financial and technical assistance" to help poorer nations pursue low-emissions development, and to adapt to the consequences of climate change.
Another leader who gained global appreciation on his country´s new climate change commitments was Chinese President Hu Jintao who matched President Obama´s rhetoric, pledging China would also commit to a host of progressive steps around renewable energy and emissions reductions, but also cautioning that developing economies like China´s "should not … be asked to take on obligations that go beyond their development stage."
A New York Times headline noted two successes that have come in President Obama´s way as he clearly told world leaders that the US clearly intended to begin a new era of engagement with the world. These two key US policy success include wringing a concession from Russia to consider tough new sanctions against Iran and securing support from Moscow and Beijing for a Security Council resolution to curb nuclear weapons. "We have re-engaged the United Nations," Mr. Obama said, to cheers from world leaders and delegates in the cavernous hall. "We have paid our bills" — a direct reference he made to the former administration´s practice of withholding some payment due the world body while it pressed for changes there.
The New York Times also notes that even as Mr. Obama sought to signal a different tone, it was clear that old, entrenched issues would remain, including Iran´s nuclear ambitions and a Middle East peace process. Earlier Secretary General Ban Ki Moon had hinted to UNTV that US President Obama and his team might be able to create a politically conducive atmosphere so that Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security. This year marks the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) with a high-level event next week. UN Secretary General Ban stated that as an active member of the Quartet, he was "concerned that the negotiation has not produced any tangible result."
At the UNGA´s sidelines, President Obama took opportunity to meet with Heads of State and Government of both developed and developing countries. In one such interesting episode interacting with the top 10 countries contributing to UN peace keeping, he got to learn about the role of a small state, such as Nepal, which despite serious domestic civil conflict between 1996 and 2006, had managed to field the fifth largest number of UN peace keepers globally, also known as the UN Blue Helmets. It is noteworthy that Nepal´s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who got a warm handshake from the US President, also got the opportunity to explain his tiny country´s readiness to provide more personnel for the UN´s future peacekeeping endeavors.
While many would still remember the founding fathers of the UN pledging by the motto of quiet global diplomacy, namely, that the UN can only be as good as its member states want it to be, an apt remark that strikingly fitted the presence of President Obama at the UN in 2009, is from former UN Secretary General the late Dag Hammarskjold who wrote in the early sixties," Life only demands from you the strength that you possess. Only one feat is possible; not to run away." That in essence was Mr. Obama´s good delivery at the UN this year. In the coming days, one hopes UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will continue providing the UN with the right leadership berth, helping it ascend higher Everests. In doing so, he must never look down to test the firm ground underneath him in taking the next bold step. Yes, he must continue walking down the road less travelled by in seeking a more peaceful, safe and harmonious world order that will leave something for future generations as well
The major issue for both developed and developing countries this year has been global climate change which was a side focus of another important meeting held on September 22. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon noted, "The climate change summit is by far the largest summit ever in the history of the UN. We expect more than a hundred heads of state will participate. What we aim is that world leaders should play as global leaders in addressing this global challenge."
From the outset, President Obama´s speech hinted at a more pro-active role of the UN in international affairs. In his first UN appearance since taking the Oval Office, Obama staked a new lofty position for the US as he promised that the US is "determined to act," and that the US "will meet our responsibility to future generations."
The Boston Globe in highlighting President Obama´s speech, noted it was punctuated at least eight times with long applause, given his sharp break with the past administration´s policies, and in renewing past themes of the Obama presidential campaign. The Globe stated, "He exhorted world leaders to act together to combat global warming, nuclear proliferation, extreme poverty, and continuing conflict in the Middle East." In fact, world leaders rushed to congratulate Mr. Obama after his maiden appearance, which resulted in 24 minutes of vigorous handshaking, despite repeated calls from UN General Assembly President Libyan Foreign Minister Ali Treki speaking in English, Arabic and French for all to return to their seats.
While acknowledging that it would be difficult to address the climate change issues without coming together to take action on a treaty slated in December in Copenhagen that would combat the current barriers, President Obama noted, "We cannot allow the old divisions that have characterized the climate debate for so many years to block our progress." But, he added, "as we head towards Copenhagen, there should be no illusions that the hardest part of our journey is in front of us." The President noted that developed nations have "caused much of the damage to our climate over the last century," and "still have a responsibility to lead." However he cautioned that those rapidly-growing developing nations that will produce nearly all the growth in global carbon emissions in the decades ahead must do their part as well. Some of these nations have already made great strides with the development and deployment of clean energy. Still, they will need to commit to strong measures at home and agree to stand behind those commitments just as the developed nations must stand behind their own. We cannot meet this challenge unless all the largest emitters of greenhouse gas pollution act together. There is no other way".
Mr. Obama was hopeful that wealthy countries would provide "financial and technical assistance" to help poorer nations pursue low-emissions development, and to adapt to the consequences of climate change.
Another leader who gained global appreciation on his country´s new climate change commitments was Chinese President Hu Jintao who matched President Obama´s rhetoric, pledging China would also commit to a host of progressive steps around renewable energy and emissions reductions, but also cautioning that developing economies like China´s "should not … be asked to take on obligations that go beyond their development stage."
A New York Times headline noted two successes that have come in President Obama´s way as he clearly told world leaders that the US clearly intended to begin a new era of engagement with the world. These two key US policy success include wringing a concession from Russia to consider tough new sanctions against Iran and securing support from Moscow and Beijing for a Security Council resolution to curb nuclear weapons. "We have re-engaged the United Nations," Mr. Obama said, to cheers from world leaders and delegates in the cavernous hall. "We have paid our bills" — a direct reference he made to the former administration´s practice of withholding some payment due the world body while it pressed for changes there.
The New York Times also notes that even as Mr. Obama sought to signal a different tone, it was clear that old, entrenched issues would remain, including Iran´s nuclear ambitions and a Middle East peace process. Earlier Secretary General Ban Ki Moon had hinted to UNTV that US President Obama and his team might be able to create a politically conducive atmosphere so that Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security. This year marks the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) with a high-level event next week. UN Secretary General Ban stated that as an active member of the Quartet, he was "concerned that the negotiation has not produced any tangible result."
At the UNGA´s sidelines, President Obama took opportunity to meet with Heads of State and Government of both developed and developing countries. In one such interesting episode interacting with the top 10 countries contributing to UN peace keeping, he got to learn about the role of a small state, such as Nepal, which despite serious domestic civil conflict between 1996 and 2006, had managed to field the fifth largest number of UN peace keepers globally, also known as the UN Blue Helmets. It is noteworthy that Nepal´s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who got a warm handshake from the US President, also got the opportunity to explain his tiny country´s readiness to provide more personnel for the UN´s future peacekeeping endeavors.
While many would still remember the founding fathers of the UN pledging by the motto of quiet global diplomacy, namely, that the UN can only be as good as its member states want it to be, an apt remark that strikingly fitted the presence of President Obama at the UN in 2009, is from former UN Secretary General the late Dag Hammarskjold who wrote in the early sixties," Life only demands from you the strength that you possess. Only one feat is possible; not to run away." That in essence was Mr. Obama´s good delivery at the UN this year. In the coming days, one hopes UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will continue providing the UN with the right leadership berth, helping it ascend higher Everests. In doing so, he must never look down to test the firm ground underneath him in taking the next bold step. Yes, he must continue walking down the road less travelled by in seeking a more peaceful, safe and harmonious world order that will leave something for future generations as well
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