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Liberia: 'UN Has Prevented Third World War'
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The Analyst (Monrovia)
25 October 2007
Posted to the web 25 October 2007
Since its establishment some sixty two years ago, the global body of sovereign states or the United Nations has annually taken off time to reflect on its missions, obstacles facing those missions and thinking through what prospects there may be.
The day is usually celebrated internationally on October 24 to create awareness of the multilateral system and its activities.
In Liberia, the same United Nations Day was celebrated yesterday with elaborate fanfare, a key function being an indoor program at which a career diplomat and Deputy Foreign Minister, William Bull delivered a reflective oration.
Reporter Sallu Swaray attedned the event at Centennial Memorial Pavilion and filed in this report.
Deputy Foreign Minister, William V. S. Bull has attributed the greatest contribution made by the United Nations over the past 62 years of its existence as that of preventing war on a global scale like World War I and World War II.
Mr. Bull reiterated that the United Nations has served as a forum which provides opportunities for countries to discuss issues and find common grounds to them rather than resorting to force to resolve differences.
He said the UN Secretariat is staffed with professional men and women from countries around the world, the career diplomat said that organ of the UN provides indispensable support for the important work of the United Nations.
Mr. Bull stressed that the impressive dedication of the men and women who work for the United Nations, and who worked to promote our shared values in the complex time were two of the Africa's finest sons, including Dr. Boutros Boutros Ghali of Egypt and more recently Dr. Kofi Annan of Ghana.
He said hey provided leadership and direction to the UN as secretaries General of the organization. He then praised the United Nations for providing a forum for member states to meet regularly to deliberate and discuss issues of global and national concerns. He said this opportunity helped to minimize conflicts.
Mr. Bull stated that the UN does much more than peace keeping; saying that in Liberia, agencies such as the World Food Program (WFP), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and others including the UNHCR, UNIFEM, WHO, UNESCO, FAO and UNFPA have worked tirelessly to advance the cause of humanitarian assistance.
The Deputy Foreign Minister indicated that the UN is also working in development and human empowerment as goals to enhance human dignity.
According to him, everyone knows the good work that these agencies are carrying out in Liberia as they do similarly around the world. "These people deserve million applauses for their good deeds," he declared.
Mr. Bull pinpointed that the global body has not been very powerful in conflict prevention, which he attributed to the organic norms accepted by member states under which conflicts emanating in specific regions are addressed using a regional approach.
"The UN, which consists of 192 members, has not been able to prevent wars and other manmade disasters that continue to have heavy toll on men, women and children around the world," he indicated.
Mr. Bull further illustrated the civil war in Liberia, during which he said over 200, 000 Liberians reportedly lost their lives during the more than 14 years of civil war, while other countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe, South America and elsewhere have had similarly destructive experiences.
He indicated that many countries are still in the throes of war and civil disorder, but however there has not been another truly global war, "saying this maybe one of the greatest accomplishment of the United Nations Organization which has worked tirelessly for peace.
Addressing the special United Nations 62nd anniversary of the UN gathering of peacekeepers, government officials, diplomats and students yesterday, Minister Bull, spoke rather authoritatively, stating that he represented the country at the United Nations during the war years and used his influence to secure the involvement of that global body to resolve the conflict in the country.
He said that though response was initially slow, but from 1991 to present, the global body, especially its Security Council has been involved with Liberia.
He made reference to the UN assistances given to West African peacekeeping forces and the active engagement with conflict mediation held in various parts of the continent.
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Minister Bull stated that these initiatives also included the various commodities export bans and travel sanctions on officials as well as deployment of stabilization troops that have worked to stabilize the country.
The Deputy Foreign Minister noted that these facts bear testimony to the utility of international diplomacy while understanding the United Nations efforts at international diplomacy is the recognition of sheared values which has contributed to a relatively secured international environment.
He added that member states utilize the United Nations System to discuss and find common solutions to problems, and as a renowned diplomat puts it, the UN provides a forum to "jaw, jaw rather than war, war".
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