The world is becoming more crowded, and increasingly more threats are emerging. While environmental problems and climate changes have become global challenges, at the same time the world is becoming a global village whose residents are being transformed into global citizens. To a large extent, the question of how the world will resist the new threats, with which even such a superpower as the US is unable to cope alone, will depend on the world’s citizens. This was the main thrust of a lecture entitled “Current Problems of Development in Ukraine and the World,” which was delivered by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who was invited to Kyiv by the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation.
Annan, who hails from Ghana, one of the poorest nations in Africa, proved to be an excellent manager. Thus, it was no accident that he ended up heading the UN, the world’s most influential organization. As the UN secretary-general for 10 years, Annan played a significant role in spreading the principles of global peace, development, security, and justice. He was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the UN Foundation whose mission is to develop cooperation between the private and state- run sectors to resolve the world’s most complex problems.
In 2003, on his initiative, six clusters of threats that must be resolved through international cooperation were identified. These are: wars among states; violence within countries, including civil wars, human rights abuses, and genocide; poverty, disease, and environmental degradation; the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and bacteriological weapons; terrorism; and transnational organized crime.
“Once you look at these threats, it becomes clear that no single country, no matter how powerful, can cope with them,” Annan underlined. In his opinion, international cooperation on many levels is required in order to secure safety for all.
In his speech the former UN secretary-general focused on two key questions: environmental protection and global climate change. According to Annan, these problems are a threat to everyone because, triggered by climate changes, such infectious diseases as malaria will spread more rapidly. As a result of global warming, icebergs will start melting, which may cause flooding in densely populated cities and damage ecological structures. Moreover, such changes threaten peace and security because competition for water resources may increase, tensions may intensify among countries, and migration rates may accelerate, especially in states and regions stricken by droughts and floods. Some economists have noted that global warming can cause the collapse of financial market. Damage may reach 20 percent and will have the same impact on society as the two world wars.
Nevertheless, Annan is convinced that things are not so bad. In fact, there is some good news. Today scientists are proposing clean “green” energy and are engaged in numerous studies of alternate forms of energy. Some countries are also exerting efforts to make the world safer thanks to emission reductions and a switch to “green” energy sources.
Another great challenge is the fight against poverty and environmental degradation. According to Annan, in 20 or 30 years’ time the population will grow to eight billion people, which will increase the load on the environment. Therefore, he is calling on all countries to launch a struggle against climate change, make environmental protection a top priority, and approve strategic programs that would meet development goals in the new millennium.
In order to face these two challenges, countries must adapt to this struggle, and business should also take on part of the responsibility by changing its corporate behavior and investment methods. Both the private sector and ordinary individuals can have an impact on resolving the problems outlined in the UN Millennium Development Goals Report. In Annan’s opinion, citizens can influence politicians so that they will adopt a serious stand on environmental problems and compel the government to work on producing “green” energy.
Annan also emphasized that implementation of “green” energy in order to reduce emissions will not decrease the economic growth of any country, including China. He is convinced that the Chinese government has a serious attitude to environmental problems.
Touching on the world food crisis, the former UN secretary-general stressed that this is a matter of life and death for those who live on one or two dollars a day. To solve this problem, there must be enough food and increased production. With regard to the latter, an important role can be played by Ukraine, once known as the breadbasket of Europe. In his opinion, Ukraine should take advantage of rising food prices and become a great agricultural power.
Annan believes that Ukraine should start dealing seriously with climate change and realize that it cannot cope with this kind of challenge on its own. This was his response to a question about the real risks and threats that await countries that are not paying enough attention to this problem and how soon these risks and threats will emerge. As an example, he mentioned the droughts in Australia, which was at one time a granary, as well as Hurricane Katrina in the US, probably the most destructive hurricane in US history. Both these events, in Annan’s opinion, are linked to climate changes. This experience should be taken into account in order to resist similar threats in other regions and countries.
Meanwhile, there are no signs that Ukraine is very disturbed by the problem of climate change. Viktor Pinchuk was probably right when he advanced the opinion that our country now deals with climate change the way it dealt with the question of combating AIDS five or seven years ago.
Naturally, the question of reforming the UN was among those raised during the question period following Annan’s speech. Typically, three Ukrainian foreign ministers waited for responses to this question, since Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO yet, is pinning great hopes on the UN. During Annan’s term of office Ukraine twice appealed to the UN for help when Russia infringed on our state’s territorial integrity, and obtained the support of this international organization.
In reference to the UN reform, Annan said that six weeks after accepting the post of UN secretary-general he was blamed for failing to implement reforms. Sergei Lavrov, who now heads Russia’s foreign ministry, declared at the time that God created the world in six days, whereas Annan had had six weeks. “I responded by saying that God was working alone.” The Ghanaian aristocrat’s joke was appreciated by the audience, which consisted of both politicians and students from the Kyiv School of Economics.
On a more serious note, Annan said that the UN in general and the UN Security Council in particular must be reformed. While he was the UN secretary-general, he paid considerable attention to this question. He still believes that the reform of the UN will not be complete without the reform of the Security Council, which should become more democratic and more representative. In his opinion, the Security Council should include approximately 24 or 25 countries and consist of three categories. The first category would include regular members, the second — those with a term of five or six years, and the third one — members with a two-year term.
Annan doubts whether the current five members — the US, Russia, China, France, and Great Britain — can be deprived of the veto right. Therefore, the new members of the Security Council would receive a permanent place without the right of veto. The veto is a negative power, he said, and cannot be used for approving decisions. Once such influential countries as Germany, Japan, India, Brazil, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, as well as other influential countries in Africa and Latin America begin taking part in the activities of the UN Security Council, other countries will treat the decisions of this body in a more serious fashion.
