UN Report: January 2007

by Sayre Sheldon, WAND representative on the NGO Working Group for Women, Peace and Security

The major press interest for the U.N. this month has been the new Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Before leaving, Kofi Annan made several very critical statements about U.S. policies. His tenure has been favorably judged and his ability to challenge the world to improve was notable. The new Secretary General arrives with more of a low-key reputation and immediately was criticized for seeming to tolerate the death penalty for Saddam and then for appointing as management undersecretary, Alicia Ibarra who is not seen as interested in making changes.

Secretary Ban was then highly praised by choosing a Tanzanian woman, Asha-Rose Mtengeti-Migiro, for the U.N.'s second highest post. Her appointment was greeted with enthusiasm by many: the South African ambassador said."Women are multi-tasking people. And African women are even better. Watch out!". Also favorably commented on so far has been the indication that Bush will send our present ambassador to Iraq in the place of retired John Bolton.A recent summary of U.N. peacekeeping missions lists them as 18: we are apt tp forget how much the U.N. is doing due to most of the attention going to places where it has had trouble being allowed in, such as Darfur.