MS-aktivist Niels Johan Juhl-Nielsen (NJJN) deltog i november – supported af 92-gruppen – i en konference hos ILO i Geneve om “Reform af de internationale institutioner”, arrangeret af World Forum for Civil Society Networks (UBUNTU).
Arrangørerne har nu rundsendt et udkast til brev til den nye FN generalsekretær sammen med en opfordring til at NJJN gør en indsats for at flere tilslutter sig “World Campaign for in-depth Reform of the System of International Institutions”.
Det er denne opfordring, som u-landsnyt.dk nu gengiver nedenfor.
Dear Niels Johan Juhl-Nielsen
On behalf of the Ad Hoc Secretariat of the “World Campaign for in-depth Reform of the System of International Institutions”, please find attached the communiqué “Open Letter to the new Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon”, together with the list of people and organisations who initially signed it.
As Campaign supporter, we encourage you to visit our website and to sign the communiqué; if you deem it appropriate.
This could also be a good time to encourage a friend to join the Campaign by signing the Manifesto.
Yours sincerely,
Josep Xercavins i Valls
Ad Hoc Secretariat Coordinator
World Campaign for in-depth Reform of the System of International Institutions
OPEN LETTER TO THE NEW UN SECRETARY GENERAL: MR. BAN KI MOON
In order to make another world possible, let us make the UN more democratic and stronger We the signatories have over the last seven years, at the initiative of UBUNTU – World Forum of Civil Society Networks, issued a number of communiqués to world public opinion detailing various common issues, important among them the fact that “the democratisation, strengthening and primacy of the UN in international politics are essential in order to make a better world possible”.
Some of these communiqués have been launched at the various World Social Forum gatherings, which, in our view, represent one of the most important expressions of the will and determination of worldwide civil society to participate actively and responsibly in the construction of a better world.
At this, the start of Mr. Ban Ki Moons term of office as the new UN Secretary General, to whom we wish every success in his work for the benefit of humankind, we want, in this open letter, to stress the following considerations and proposals:
1. In view of the problems of poverty and of development in general, there is a need to:
– achieve the Millennium Development Goals (which we regard as minimum standards) and the Plans of Action drawn up at UN summits in the 1990s (which are far from being implemented), to which end external debt must be truly cancelled without further delay.
– fulfil previous Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments and above all to implement new financing mechanisms, including the elimination of tax havens, taxation on international financial capital and the consequent creation and application of world cohesion funds for development.
– move towards a fair world trade system oriented towards sustainable human development, unlike the system that would be brought in by the Doha Round of the WTO, which, following the failure of its last meeting in Hong Kong, is still insisting on a neo-liberal model of world trade that would continue to benefit the rich and powerful of the world only.
– a worldwide commitment to tackle global warming, in keeping with the principles of the Rio and Johannesburg summits, that would see countries responsible for their own emissions – first and foremost the USA, which must, as a minimum, sign and comply with the Kyoto Protocol – and beginning with rich countries, would develop and implement alternatives to the existing unsustainable trends in production, consumption and energy model.
2. In view of the problems of peace, security and human rights, there is a need for:
– compliance with democratic international law based on universal human rights.
Consequently, we unreservedly criticise, as we always have, terrorist acts, as well as the illegal “preventive” use of force (the most serious unilateral and persistent example of which is the war in Iraq).
We once again declare that the deadlock, militarization and employment of all kinds of illegal mechanisms (clandestine prisons, walls of shame and “selective” assassinations with collateral damage) in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan and more recently Somalia merely lead to widespread and indiscriminate suffering among the civil society in these places.
We call for an immediate end to all these ignominious situations and acts and above all urge that, in deadlocked conflicts, the armed forces should act as blue helmets under the UN flag and command.
– the essential reform of the UN Security Council (removal of the power of veto, enlargement of the number of seats on the council to reflect the regional reality of the world, and effective control by the General Assembly) as a necessary step leading to the recovery of international confidence in the body that should be the guarantor of world peace and security.
Its action, together with that of the General Assembly and other UN councils, should focus on the following areas: the peaceful resolution of conflicts (by promoting a culture of peace, the strengthening the Alliance of Civilisations, etc.), disarmament and non-proliferation, R2P (Responsibility to Protect) and the use of violence as a last resort and only under the provisions of the UN Charter.
3. In view of the essential reform of International Institutions, including the democratisation and strengthening of the UN, we note that:
– the UN reforms on peace, security, disarmament and human rights proposed at the 60th session of the General Assembly have not materialised, with the sole exception of the Peacebuilding Commission and Human Rights Council.
– the capability and possibilities open to the UN on issues to do with development are being “hijacked” and “transferred” to the market, above all through the Bretton Woods Institutions and the World Trade Organization.
– consequently, as the manifesto of the World Campaign for In-depth Reform of the System of International Institutions asserts, there is a need for “a stronger, more democratic UN, placed at the centre of a consistent, democratic, responsible, effective system of international institutions”.
“More specifically, we need to democratise the composition and decision-making procedures of UN bodies and agencies to ensure that they are effective and democratic. And we need to refound and integrate within the UN all other global multilateral organisations (IMF, WB, WTO, etc.)”.
– these reforms, each of which are necessary in themselves, will at last make it possible to approve and implement the policies required to tackle and put an end to the grave problems that humanity faces at the start of this century.
We the signatories urge the new UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, to press forward with the debate and work on these issues to enable us once and for all to move from reports and resolutions to reforms and their implementation, with the participation not only of member states but every other stakeholder in the world arena, especially civil society.
The democratisation of international institutions is one of the priorities in the process of reform.
Consequently, international institutions ought to act in accordance with the various interests, needs and aspirations of all the worlds citizens, which involves setting in motion new and effective opportunities for citizens, civil society, the various tiers of government, etc. to enjoy representation and to participate in international institutions.
We will support every effort made to achieve the above.
February 12th, 2007
Federico Mayor
Mario Soares
Susan George
Noam Chomsky
José Saramago
Roberto Savio IPS – Inter Press Service
Alexander Likhotal Green Cross International
Fatma Alloo DAWN – Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era
William Pace WFM-IGP – World Fed. Movement – Institute for Global Policy (in principle)
Chico Whitaker Right Livelihood Award; Justiça e Paz Brazil en el CI del FSM
Cândido Grzybowski IBASE – Instituto Brasileiro de Analisis Sociais e Econômicas
Harlem Desir GPF – Global Progressive Forum
Tomas Magnusson IPB – International Peace Bureau
Andrei Grachev The World Political Forum
Mohammed Fayek AOHR – Arab Organization for Human Rights
Ziad Abdel Samad ANND – Arab NGOs Network for Development
Nerea Craviotto WIDE – Globalising Gender Equality and Social Justice
Sean O Siochru CRIS – Communication Rights in Information Society
Herman Spanjaard IPPNW – International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War
Philip Lee WACC – World Association for Christian Communication
Marino Busdachin UNPO – Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation
Richard A. Falk Princeton University; California University
Cornelio Sommaruga Ancient président du Comité international de la Croix Rouge
Mary-Wyne Ashford Former Co-President International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War
Ricardo Díez Hochleitner President Emeritus Club of Rome
Fèlix Martí President Honorari de Linguapax Institut
François Houtard CETRI – Centre Tricontinental
Anselmo Lee Forum-Asia
Sara Longwe FEMNET – The African Women’s Development and Communications
Olivier Kambala CIPAC – Centre International pour la Paix en Afrique Centrale
Patrice Lovesse ROAD – Réseau Ouest Africain des ONG pour un Développement Durable
Mwajuma Alice Abok AWEPON – African Women’s Economic Policy Network
Hassen Lorgat SANGOCO – South African NGO Coalition
Paul Ortega PAX ROMANA
Aldo Caliari Center of Concern
Markus Brun Head of Policy Department FASTENOPFER
Arcadi Oliveres Justice and Peace Europe
Vicente García-Delgado CIVICUS UN Representative
Ernesto Lamas AMARC ALC – Asoc. Mundial Radios Comunitarias – América Latina Caribe
Carlos Tünnermann ILAEDES – Instituto Latinoamericano de Educación para el Desarrollo
Jorge Nieto Centro Internacional para la Cultura Democrática
Luz Velásquez Red Latinoamericana de Estudios Ambientales Urbanos
Fernando A. Iglesias Democracia Global – por la Unión Latinoamericana y el Parlamento Mundial
Carlos Bedoya Red Jubileo Perú (Campaña Desafio Miqueas; C. Hermanitas de la Asunción; Fovida; …)
Rómulo Torres LATINDADD – Red Latinoamericana sobre Deuda, Desarrollo y Derechos
Àngels Mataró Asociación para las Naciones Unidas en España y Latinoamerica
John Foster North-South Institut
Antonio Papisca International Centre on Human Rights and the Rights of Peoples
Ferran Requejo Professor Universitat Pompeu Fabra – UPF
Gurutz Jáuregui Profesor Universidad del País Vasco
Martí Olivella Alliance for a Responsible, Plural and United World
Agustí Colomines UNESCOCAT — Centre UNESCO de Catalunya
Gabriela Cauduro Cátedra Cultura para la Paz y Derechos Humanos
Josep Xercavins Secrétariat Ad Hoc du Forum UBUNTU
