UNITED NATIONS

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
News and Highlights from the President

President visited United Nations University in Tokyo and delivered a speech
29 May 2002

Today, Dr. Han visited United Nations University in Tokyo and delivered a speech. The title of the speech was "The Role of the United Nations in a Globalizing World".

 In his speech, Dr. Han said that in the almost 30 years since its establishment in 1973, the United Nations University had been in the forefront of scholarship and research in key areas of concern to the United Nations and the global community. Dr. Han shared his experience of September 11, 2001 and the impact of the incidence which related to the opening of the General Assembly meeting on the following day.  In regard to Nobel Peace Prize, Dr. Han received the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the world body. He went on to say that he was sure that this event was celebrated in the United Nations University. Dr. Han would like to share his observations on the role and function of the United Nations General Assembly.

According to Dr. Han, globalization had been a defining feature of international relations since the latter of the last century. Interdependence among nations has been growing at an unprecedented rate along with the freer flow of products, capital and labor. The rise of global issues had heightened the importance of international responses on the global level. The international process following the events of September 11 served to reinforce growing role and Dr. Han considered this in two aspects. First, the United Nations confirmed and strengthened its unique capacity for consensus building and collective action among nations. Second, concepts such as "new security" and "human security" had been developed and widely discussed to deal with issues of peace and security in a comprehensive manner. And then Dr. Han explained further that in the UN system in addition to the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and many other institutions are now working together to accommodate security concerns from their own perspectives as well as playing their part in promotion of international peace and security.

About General Assembly, Dr. Han said "Being the highest UN body where all Member States are represented, the General Assembly is the right place to deal with mounting issues of the global scale that affect each and every one of the membership. In accordance with this growing importance of the General Assembly, the Presidency of the Assembly is also strengthening its role, by inter alia, involving itself more and more in mediation and informal consultations on substantive issues."

In his speech, Dr. Han also shared his visit to UNAMSIL and East Timor, attendance for NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development). In concluding his statement, Dr. Han said "It is appropriate time to contemplate how we want to see the world's only universal organization develop in the coming years. How efficiently the world body can adapt itself to new environment very much depends on the degree of commitment and support the Member States provide."

Speech at the United Nations University "The Role of the United Nations in a Globalizing World"
 
 

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