|
Programme Number: 013
Week
of: Sunday, 12th September, 2004
Recording
Date:
Thursday, 16th September, 2004
Topical Issue(s):
Topical Issue(s):
" As an unprecedented number of Heads of State
from all corners of the world descend on New York
to attend this year's UN General Assembly, we ask:
What is the General Assembly?
What exactly does it do?
How does it compare to the Security Council?
Why should you care about the GA?
Editor / Presenter: Ben Malor
Producer: Derrick Mbatha
Production Assistants: Nyi Nyi Teza
NARRATOR: Hello ! This is United Nations Radio from
New York.
NARRATOR:
Welcome to, UN and Africa. I'm Ben Dotsei Malor.
NARRATOR:
More than a hundred world leaders are gathering in
New York for this year's United Nations General Assembly.
But what exactly is the General Assembly or GA?
CLIP-1:
""It is the only universal body of the
United Nations system with a hundred and ninety-one
member states, and you could compare it to a world
parliament. "
NARRATOR:
And why should you care about the General Assembly?
CLIP-2:
"I know that GA play very important role in decolonization
of Africa…"
NARRATOR:
Also, how does the equality of nation work out in
the General Assembly? There is all that and more to
come on, UN and Africa.
NARRATOR:
This year's United Nations General Assembly has officially
opened here at United Nations headquarters, New York.
An unprecedented number of world leaders are scheduled
to attend this year's GA, with the Foreign Minister
of Gabon, Mr Jean Ping already elected as the President
of the Assembly.
The part of the proceedings where the leaders give
their speeches - known as the General Debate - is
a two week affair featuring the presentations of Presidents,
Prime Ministers, Kings, Foreign Ministers and other
such high-ranking officials.
Through your television set, you'll most probably
observe some of them - like the president of the most
powerful nation in the world , the USA - addressing
the Assembly and the world at large.
But is the General Assembly just all about speeches?
What exactly does the General Assembly do?
What powers does the GA have?
What's the difference between the GA and the Security
Council?
Why should you care about the UN General Assembly?
We'll be attempting to answer all of these in the
following few minutes.
But first a sampling of voices collected by UN Radio's
Derrick Mbatha on some ordinary people's perception
of the General Assembly.
VOX POPS ON THE GA
Try and put their finger on the problem and try to
figure out what can be done about it.
To be the GA is a forum where any country
NARRATOR:
The views and opinions of a cross-section of the international
staff here at the UN.
The outgoing Spokesperson of the UN General Assembly
Michelle Montas explains the role of the GA.
MM ON WHAT IS THE GA
DURATION: 20"
"It is the only universal body of the United
Nations system with a hundred and ninety-one member
states, and you could compare it to a world parliament.
It provides a forum for the discussion of international
issues, it initiates laws in some ways because all
existing international conventions stem from decisions
taken within the General Assembly."
Apart from these functions, the General Assembly
performs some other key roles, according to UN Assistant-Secretary
General for Political Affairs, Tuliameni Kalomoh of
Namibia.
ASG KALOMOH ON GA APPOINTING SG AND BUDGET
Mr Kalomoh also talks about the extra level of interest
in this year's Assembly.
ASG KALOMOH ON ATTENDANCE
But is the GA just a glorified platform for speeches?
ASG KALOMOH ON GLORIFIED SPEECH PLATFORM
Ms Montas also stresses the inherent principle of
the equality of nations within the General Assembly.
But, how does the equality of nations work practically
in the GA, when smaller nations like Kiribati or the
Gambia are having rub shoulder with more powerful
nations like the United States of America - the only
superpower in the world right now? The outgoing President
of the General Assembly, Mr Julian Hunte has been
sharing his experiences on dealing with the superpower.
HUNTE ON HANDLING THE USA.
"I personally, as President of the 58th didn't
find United States a problem to deal with. They have
strong views. I accept that as one of the leading
countries in the world, the European Union and so
on, they are entitled to have strong views, not to
mention developing countries. Those views were expressed.
I have never had a problem with the United States."
But there have been problems with the world superpower,
the USA. An example is the debate and disagreements
over the US-led war in Iraq. This problem was addressed
not by the General Assembly but by another notable
UN organ, the Security Council. Mr Hunte explains
why the General Assembly could not debate the Iraq
issue.
HUNTE ON GA AND IRAQ.
"It cannot dictate to the SC and how it should
handle it because the SC is mandate with specifically
with matters related to peace and security. But it
doesn't preclude the GA from having a discussion and
to determine how they would wish to see the matter
pursued or resolved depending on what one would take."
Mr. Hunte's spokesperson Michelle Montas explains
further
MM ON DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GA AND THE SECURITY
COUNCIL.
DURATION: 14"
"The General Assembly cannot discuss an issue
when that issue is in front of the Security Council
- a dispute, for instance between member states or
civil war in a member state. If those issues are taken
up by the Security Council then the General Assembly
cannot examine them."
But are there clearer differences between the General
Assembly and the Security Council?
MM ON BINDING DECISIONS
DURATION: 24"
"The essential difference is that the General
Assembly makes recommendations but these are recommendations
that can become binding when the Security Council
takes decisions on them. Whatever the SC decides is
binding on the member state that is concerned, binding
on the rest of the international community. (Q: But
what the GA recommends … they are not binding?)
They are not binding."
So, is the General Assembly is LESS powerful than
Security Council? Mr Kalomoh.
ASG KALOMOH ON POWER B/N GA AND SC
And still on the power of the two key organs, Ms
Montas is quick to point out that one is the older
of two.
MM ON GA CREATING THE SC
"Theoretically, on questions of peace and security,
it should be the SC because it takes binding decisions
… . Also because some member states - the five
permanent members - have the power of veto. But I
have to say that the SC has somehow to answer to the
GA … The GA has a say in what the Security Council
does. One thing that is forgotten is that the general
Assembly created the Security Council."
So now we know who is the Big Brother in the UN family
let's turn to matters of more immediate concern to
watchers of the UN and Africa. The Presidency of the
General Assembly rotates yearly according to the continents
and regions of the world. This year, Africa has the
presidency and the Foreign Minister of gabon, Jean
Ping, is the incoming President. Assistant-Secretary
General Tuliameni Kalomoh of Namibia says this is
good for Africa in particular.
ASG KALOMOH ON AFRICA SHOULD BE PROUD
Ms Michelle Montas also points out that already Africa
is featuring prominently on the agenda.
MM ON GA FOCUS ON AFRICA
DURATION: 26"
"For the first time, the 158 items on the agenda
are organised according to the priorities of the organisation,
and Africa is the only continent where the priorities
of the maintenance of peace and security, promotion
of sustained economic growth, development in Africa
is one of those headings. Africa is the only continent
whose development is focused on and I think this is
very important."
But for Africa and Africans, what difference has
the General Assembly ever made in the lives of the
continent's people? Here's Mr Kalomoh again.
ASG KALOMOH ON WHAT GA HAS DONE FOR AFRICA
*** CLOSING MUSIC ***:
(Please establish music briefly, dip and hold under)
NARRATOR:
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political
Affairs, Tuliameni Kalomoh of Namibia.
You've been listening to UN and Africa, always looking
into what the United Nations is doing for Africa,
in Africa and about Africa.
I'm Ben Dotsei Malor … Thanks for listening and
thanks to Producer, Derrick Mbatha, Productions Assistant,
Nyi Nyi Teza, and Studio Engineer Zac Prewitt.
Goodbye.
*** CLOSING MUSIC ***:
(Please bring music up and play till the end.)
Let’s have your feedback as we continue to
examine what the United Nations is doing for Africa, in Africa and about Africa.
Send an e-mail to unradio@un.org.
|
