Use of unilateral and pre-emptive force is dangerous – Annan

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today told a group of African-American civil society groups that he is “convinced that it is in America’s interest today to work through the United Nations.”

Speaking at a luncheon for representatives of some 80 African-American organizations, Mr. Annan said that the international community was not working together on goals of poverty reduction, education, child mortality and health care, and, “We don’t seem to agree on the best way to deal with threats, or even on what the most urgent dangers are.

“Some say we should devote all our efforts to fighting terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Others say it is more urgent to tackle poverty, disease, climate change, and the spread of small arms,” he said.

“I say this is a false choice. I say we must confront all these threats at once,” he said.

“If individual nations discount the legitimacy provided by the UN, and feel that they can and must use force unilaterally and pre-emptively, the world will become even more dangerous,” he said.

“I am convinced that it is in America’s interest today to work through the United Nations – just as it was in the era of Roosevelt and Truman. At that time, the US led the way in establishing the UN,” he said.

Noting that the organizations present in the lunch had “a history of standing up and being counted when it matters,” Mr. Annan said, “My friends, it matters now. The world is on the move. We have to make sure it moves the right way. I hope and believe that we can. The choice is not between multilateralism and unilateralism. It’s between cooperation and catastrophe.”

The day-long event was organized by the UN Department of Public Information (DPI), the Better World Fund and The People Program, and is part of an initiative by Mr. Annan to strengthen the world body’s ties with key civil society leadership. Besides the speech, the day’s activities included a series of briefings on the UN’s work in general, its activities in Africa, its goals in poverty reduction, and the role of civil society in attaining those goals.