Washington Report On Middle East Affairs – October 2018

their capabilities. As secretary-general

he assembled an articulate and confi-

dent team who could push the envelope

on events and say what needed to be

said, without implicating him directly.

One of his landmark changes to U.N.

culture was to open up a degree of

transparency: Before, only designated

spokespeople were allowed to talk to the

media, but Annan mandated all staff to

respond to journalists’ enquiries, as long

as they did not purport to represent the

organization’s views.

Kofi Annan’s dignity and that astute

media footwork allowed him to steer the

landmark Responsibility to Protect reso-

lution through the 60th anniversary sum-

mit. It is still a landmark, even if many

member states that did not have the po-

litical courage to oppose him and the

concept at the summit have done so

much to frustrate it since.

It allowed him to rally support for an

ambitious world development agenda

backed by a wide spectrum of disparate

constituencies. All idols have feet of clay,

but for some the mud goes much higher

than others. No one is perfect, since high

office demands compromises for practi-

cal achievements to win allies and ma-

jorities. But in office—on development

goals, poverty, human rights, gender

equality, Rwanda, Cyprus and many

other issues—Annan advanced the U.N.

agenda even as he rewrote it.

In 2001 Annan and the institution he

headed were awarded the Nobel Peace

Prize “for their work for a better orga-

nized and more peaceful world.” After

leaving the U.N. he continued his work,

with the Elders and his own foundation.

His legacy will survive for some time, but

one must wonder how he would have

coped with the current U.S. president

who, unlike Clinton, is unable to betray

his principles, since he does not seem to

have any. But it is perhaps not too late

for the present secretary-general to

study and emulate Annan’s tradition of

quietly but prominently presenting him-

self on behalf of the organization, and

the teamwork that made it possible.

nent Polisario deserters, “Saharans who

want a better standard of living.”

The Saharan diplomat, who is also a

member of Polisario’s National Secretariat,

appeared more concerned about another

problem rising from the prolonged peace

talks, asking, “What are we going to do with

our young people?” He pointed out that

young Sahrawis have attended schools in

the refugee camps and many have gone on

to obtain scholarships at universities in

Scandinavia and the EU, as well as Algeria.

“We have a diaspora now; some Sahrawis

have found work in Spain, Italy, Latin Amer-

ica, even a small number in the U.S.,” Taleb

Omar said, emphasizing there were no

more jobs in Polisario’s camps. “Some of

the youth have begun to say life was better

with the armed struggle,” the ambassador

said ruefully. “They say: ‘Maybe we lost

lives, but at least the war obliged Morocco

to accept the truce and the referendum for

self-determination.’”

OCTOBER 2018 WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS 53

 



    
 




 



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