17th Annual Meeting of the Academic Council on the United Nations System

Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen:


It is a pleasure to be with you today for the opening of the 17th Annual Meeting of the Academic Council on the United Nations System, taking place for the first time in Geneva. I welcome this opportunity to express my appreciation to you, the members of ACUNS, for your valuable contribution to raising awareness of the role and responsibilities of the United Nations. Through your educational activities, you mobilize indispensable support for the efforts of the Organization. Indeed, one of your key programmes is entitled ‘Building a Constituency for the United Nations through Education’.

But, your efforts go beyond rallying public opinion behind the Organization. In your academic research and exchanges – as at this Annual Meeting – you examine critically the concepts underpinning our efforts and you analyse how effectively our objectives are being met. In this, you challenge us to continuously evaluate our policies and practices to ensure that they are appropriate and bring results. I welcome these frank dialogues that may alert us to points where we can strengthen our efforts.

I should also like to congratulate the Geneva International Academic Network on the organization of this event. The United Nations Office at Geneva has been involved with the network since its inception, and we continue to support its efforts to foster greater collaboration between academic institutions and international organizations. These efforts can also be appreciated at this particular event, since some of the projects that bring together the research community and the UN and international organizations will be presented over the next two days.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This year, your discussions revolve around the theme of human security. It is very appropriate that these debates take place in “International Geneva”. The United Nations family and the wider research community in Geneva bring together skills and know-how across a wide spectrum of issues – ranging from disarmament, human rights and humanitarian action to development, health, and trade. Geneva has consequently developed into a significant centre for thinking on people-centred security. In this context, we also benefit from the active involvement of our Host Country, Switzerland, which has a long-standing commitment to promoting human security.

It is indeed no coincidence that the Final Report of the Commission on Human Security, which has framed much of the debate on the issue, was launched here in Geneva last year. The Commission proposed that a global initiative be mobilized to place human security at the top of local, national, regional and global agendas. Three goals were identified: to prevent conflict and advance human rights and development; to protect and empower people and their communities; and to deepen democratic principles and practices – all to promote a human security culture and framework.

In your panels and workshops, you will explore the many dimensions of the human security concept and its applicability. I note, for example, that you will be devoting attention to the role of civil society, to that of regional organizations, to terrorism and to peace building, to name but a few important links.

Reconciling the legitimate security needs of the individual and the State in the face of an unprecedented combination of threats and challenges is a priority for the international community. The peoples of the world are acutely threatened by international terrorism, and the potentially related threat of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, we should not lose sight of the fact that many people and their States feel more vulnerable to other kinds of threats – whether it is civil wars fought with small arms and light weapons, or the so-called “soft threats” such as extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. If we are to ensure the security of the individual, we need to address all these threats and challenges, as they are interrelated.

Likewise, the security of the State and that of the individual are closely connected. State and human security are not mutually exclusive; they reinforce each other. Protecting and promoting the rights and meeting the needs of the individual strengthens the State, which in turn enhances the State’s ability to ensure the security of the individual. Respect for human rights is essential. Human rights are a crosscutting issue that should be integrated in all our efforts as gross and systematic violations of human rights pose a threat not only to the individual, but also to international peace and security. One of your workshops will indeed address this topic, but the importance of human rights could easily be incorporated in all workshops and panels, as human rights are at the heart of the human security approach.

As recognized by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, achieving human security requires a dynamic, innovative partnership among the United Nations, governments and non-State actors. Indeed such global partnerships, including with academic institutions, exemplify the vision Governments agreed to in adopting the Millennium Declaration and help us make progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Recently, the Security Council discussed the role of civil society in post-conflict peace building. On that occasion, the Secretary-General noted that the growth of partnerships between the United Nations and civil society reflected the need for the latter to contribute to post-conflict decision-making in an era of globalization and state fragmentation. It was hoped that the Council would pay serious attention to the recommendations contained in the recent Report of the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations-Civil Society Relations. Here, the Secretary-General pointed out that the Council should view inputs by civil society members as a way to add quality and value to its decisions, rather than as an attempt to usurp the role of Governments.

To me, it is particularly important that the implementation of human security is explored so that the concept becomes operational on the “ground”, so to speak. The practical applicability of the reflection and research that takes place within frameworks such as ACUNS and the Geneva International Academic Network is a particular added value.

I have no doubt that your discussions over the coming days will bring thought-provoking ideas and recommendations for the United Nations system to consider and be inspired by.

I wish you much success in your deliberations.

Thank you.