The UN, Now and Future

Another Way of Viewing the World

   is how Le Monde Diplomatique markets itself- and it is correct. They get access to news not filtered through the political correctness of any US Administration and the people pulling media puppet strings here.
  Last night another Formidable Soiree at  La Maison of the French Embassy where Grace a La Director Roland Celette, co-sponsored by Le Monde Diplomatique and the French America Global Forum,  a panel conference discussed all things UN- is it effective, is it on a 20 year decline, is its power diluted by G20s, G8s and is it capable of working at a speed necessary for economic involvement in the world's economic crisis. The panel featured Keval Dervis VP and Director of the Global Economy and Development program at Brookings, Charles Kolb, President of Committee for Economic Development (CED), Anne-Cecile Robert Le Monde Journalist specializing in European Institutions and Associate Professor at L'Intitut d'Etudes Europennes at Paris VII University, and James Traub, NYTimes Mag and Foreign Policy writer with www.foreignpolicy.com.

     I was impressed how James Traub managed to color coordinate his red striped socks with the couch he was sitting on and noted the impeccable sense of style of the organizers whose orange and red decor reminded one of ones favorite water hole on the riviera.  That's what I was a thinking about instead of whether the Libya action was something that the UN should be used for or not.

     A movie was shown of Koffi Anan's tenure at the UN by a French producer who has made about seven movies of his time there.

    The take aways were numerous but a consensus seemed to be attained that there is a necessary place for the UN notwithstanding the trashing it got during the Bush Administration who used it unforgivably as war cover under fraudulent pretexts (my conclusion, not that officially of the Embassy)-

     The Un operates a bureaucracy with many agencies (the World Bank and IMF/IFC are technically under it while operationally not so much)- and serves humanitarian functions that have kept through things like the WHO (World Health Org) and World Food program people alive in the millions around the world. These organizations literally are responsible for keeping communities literally alive. This cannot be underestimated because if ever there were tax dollars well at work, it should be noted that this is effective use of governments' treasuries.

    Kolb noted that he thought the UN was too cumbersome to move quickly enough to do things like regulate currencies or engage in global coordination of necessary economic measures which justifies things like G20 and G8 decision making. Anne-Cecile Robert thought that the UN should be appreciated in the same way we go back now to the slow food movement and noted that the entire world should have a say regarding key economic decisions that affect everyone so the rich countries are not just dictating to the poor ones how life will be for everyone. Traub noted that the UN provided a successful avenue for what he viewed as the Libya success story. Dervis noted that  most people think we give about 25% GDP to foreign aid while we only give about 1% or less so the past fights about UN funding are usually cast in an overly disparaging framework.

     What should the expectations be and where should it go- what should reforms look like? These were questions asked by Michael Shank, US Vice President at the Institute for Economics and Peace,and board member of the National Peace Academy. He told an amusing anecdote of trying to get a bagel once toasted in the UN cafeteria. The cafeteria worker didn't know if they had a toaster, couldn't find an outlet, ponder the legal ramifications of letting him cut it himself and had to go back to the kitchen to see if they had a knife. By analogy he provoked wonderment regarding whether the UN has the tools necessary, knows where they are, overly paralyzes itself with cross-border litigation worries and can't find where to plug itself in to various conflicts. Kolb's comical retort was- the UN should outsource bagel -there are much better bagelries in New York. Also, can anyone there write a decent report-he lamented. (or- he should get an assistant who can translate for him.)

   The soiree was topped off with a reception catered by PAULs , the newest French boulangerie, patisserie in DC with stores at Farragut North on Connecticut Ave and in Georgtown on Wisconsin near M streets. Cute little triangle salmon cream cheese sandwiches laid in a cut out box of bread.
I think I will try making it for the next hors d'oevres fete I help with.

Thanks again to the fantastic folks at the French Embassy (the two Oliviers are adorable) and especially Roland. Merci Mille Fois.