Previous Event

May 22, 2005
"Kofi Annan, United Nation’s Achievements and Suggested Reforms"  
by Dr. Pat Cutting

Dr. Cutting works as Legislative Advocacy Chairperson for the United Nations Association of Utah and gives presentations on the United Nations to community and university groups. She has been an advocate for multilateral cooperation and the United Nations since her doctoral research on "Individuality in Community," at the University of Copenhagen, 1973-74. Dr. Cutting has taught at the University of Albuquerque, the College of Santa Fe and Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin.

Synopsis of Presentation:
Kofi Annan, the current Secretary-General of the United Nations has said, "I have done and am still doing, everything I can to correct its [the U.N.’s] imperfections, and to improve and strengthen it.  And I believe profoundly in the importance of that task, because a strong U.N. is of vital importance to humanity." from the Wall Street Journal, Feb. 22, 2005.  He has also said, "Today we must look again into our collective conscience, and ask ourselves whether we are doing enough."

This presentation focussed on Kofi Annan and the structure of the UN in relation to the tremendous good accomplished, e.g., Tsunami relief, suppression of the SARS epidemic, and East Timor’s independence and democracy, along with such problems as those associated with the Oil for Food Program.

In preparation for the September, 2005, Summit Meeting in New York, on strengthening the UN through reform, the people and governments of the world were asked to study and consider how the UN could change to better fulfill its three-fold mission of security, development (of countries in need of it), and human rights.  At our meeting we considered some of the reforms that are currently being addressed and ask if there are others that should be addressed.

References and Resources:

We the Peoples: The Nobel Lecture Given by the 2001 Nobel Peace Laureate Kofi Annan, Ruder Finn Press, Inc., New York, NY, 2002.
In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All, Kofi Annan, March, 2005, accessible at www.un.org – the Secretary General’s link.
A More Secure World: Our Shared Responsibility, Report by the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, Dec. 2, 2004. Accessible at www.un.org/secureworld.

"Courage to Fulfill our Responsibilities," The Economist, Dec 2, 2004;
"A Global Strategy for Fighting Terrorism," Toronto Globe and Mail, March, 2005;
"A Way Forward on Global Security," International Herald Tribune, Dec. 3, 2004.
        All are accessible from the Secretary General’s link at www.un.org.

"Millennium Development Goals," www.un.org/millenniumgoals.

Many reports, fact sheets, news items and links at www.unausa.org.