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Call for the revitalisation of the world's premier organisation (Terence O'Brien), Making a difference:The role of small states at the United Nations (Ambassador Jim McLay), Book launch: the Pacific - Resilient and remembered (Lachlan Mackay), Celebrating the International Year of Cooperatives (Ramsey Margolis).
Citation preview
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
UNANZ NEWS
ISSN 1179-8009 (PRINT) ISSN 1179-8017 (ONLINE)
CALL FOR THE REVITALISATION
OF THE WORLD’S PREMIER
ORGANISATION P3
MAKING A DIFFERENCE:
THE ROLE OF
SMALL STATES
AT THE
UNITED NATIONS P13
BOOK LAUNCH:
THE PACIFIC – RESILIENT
AND REMEMBERED P17
CELEBRATING THE
UN INTERNATIONAL YEAR
OF COOPERATIVES 2012 P19
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 2 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
UNANZ News
Contents
In this Issue
Call for the revitalisation of the world‟s premier organisation 3
Terrence O‟Brien
Making a difference: The role of small states at the United
Nations 13
Jim McLay
Book Launch: The Pacific – Resilient and Remembered 17
Lachlan Mackay
Celebrating the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2012 19
Ramsey Margolis
President‟s Column 22
Michael Powles
Branch Reports:
Northern: Auckland: A Peace City 24
Laurie Ross
Waikato: Model UN 25
Mano Manoharan
Tauranga: Three Model UNs 26
Gray Southon
Wellington: Winter seminar series 27
Robin Halliday
Report from the UN Youth Conference, Adelaide 30
Byron Terris
UN Youth Update 31
Elizabeth Chan
UNANZ NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2011
EDITION
September
20 September
International Day of Peace. Panel discussion on building a
culture of peace in the Pacific. Includes music, dance and
refreshments. Free entry. Turnbull House, 11 Bowen St
5 – 7 pm, Wellington
30 September
Wanganui Branch Junior MUN to be held at Wanganui Girl‟s
College.
Wanganui
October
17 October
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
18 October
National Office UN Day Function.
James Cook Grand Chancellor, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Please contact [email protected] for more information.
Wellington
28 October
Wanganui Branch UN Day event. Annual Dinner, Venue TBA.
National President, Michael Powles to speak on “UNANZ and
its future”
Wanganui
September - December 2011
Upcoming Events
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 3 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
Terence O’Brien calls for a
revitalisation of the world’s
premier multilateral
organisation.
It is hard today to ignore the
fact that the United Nations
faces a crisis of relevance. The
emergence in 2008 of a new
top table assembly of states,
the G20 Summit – (comprising
the leading twenty global
economies) – signifies some
disillusionment in several high
places with the existing system
of international relations,
embodied in the United
Nations and other established
international agencies. The
G20 summit is still in its
infancy and so far consensus is
proving sometimes a problem,
but its arrival signals
potentially the most significant
shift in the architecture of
global co-operation in the 20
or more years since the Cold
War ended. Its very
composition reflects above all
ongoing change in the world
order driven by the emergence
of a number of notably
successful economies from the
ranks of developing countries,
whose accomplishments and
potential entitle them now to a
far more substantive role in
global affairs.
Collective, co-operative
international behaviour
between sovereign states – in
other words multilateralism –
represents one of the supreme
inventions of 20th century
diplomacy. Nothing like it had
been witnessed in preceding
times. Its creation owed much
to American vision and energy.
Today multilateralism operates
at several levels – regionally
and globally – and across
several different although
connected domains (such as
politics, security, finance, trade
and economic development),
but at its centre stands the
United Nations as the sole
CALL FOR THE
REVITALISATION OF THE
WORLD’S PREMIER
ORGANISATION
TERENCE O’BRIEN
Speaker for the United Nations Association of
New Zealand Wellington Branch AGM, 2011.
23 March 2011
The United Nations faces a crisis of relevance. The emerging role of the G20 summit signals
potentially a most significant shift in the architecture of global co-operation. For New Zealand
this is problematic. The UN system has long been the principal window through which New
Zealand has been viewed by the world. It is important that the system of global multilateralism
reflected in the United Nations is rehabilitated. New Zealand has a strong interest in the
continued centrality of a universal forum where convergence of interests and values can be
promoted and where diversity can be understood and respected.
The United Nations faces a crisis of relevance. The emerging role of the G20 summit signals
potentially a most significant shift in the architecture of global co-operation. For New Zealand
this is problematic. The UN system has long been the principal window through which New
Zealand has been viewed by the world, It is important that the system of global multilateralism
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 4 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
universal institution grounded
in a charter accepted by all its
members. This constitutes the
vital core for the multilateral
system and provides essential
legitimacy to that system as
well as for each individual
member state and their
involvement therefore in
international affairs. For
smaller countries with limited
diplomatic reach and minimal
leverage when acting alone,
the value of a system that
allows coalitions of interest
with like-minded across an
extensive range of institutions
and issues adds materially to
diplomatic capacity for
promoting and protecting
interests. It provides, too, the
opportunity to cultivate
international reputation. The
assistance from beyond New
Zealand to our recovery from
the grave crisis of the
Christchurch earthquake
eloquently underlines the value
of reputation in an inter-
connected world. At the most
basic level, the relevance of
the UN system to this country
is that it is the principal
window through which most
governments in the world view
New Zealand.
The forces of modern
globalisation have energised
the flow of people, ideas,
money, services and
merchandise across borders.
They have also diffused power
in ways that require a much
more sophisticated
understanding of how it
actually works in the world
today. We shall come back to
that. All of this has collapsed
time and distance. It has
deepened and widened inter-
dependence amongst nations,
increased opportunity, as well
as interconnected many risks
and challenges. Climate
change and energy security is
one good example. The vital
need to nourish predictability
and good order in this dynamic
global setting means the rule of
international law is paramount.
The essence of the UN system,
which is to instil rules-based
international behaviour and to
embrace the interconnections
between multiple challenges,
remains fundamental to such
good order. The recent New
Zealand defence white paper
characterises rules-based
international order that
respects national sovereignty
as an enduring New Zealand
national security interest. This
will, presumably, be reflected
in the first ever NZ National
Security Policy currently under
preparation by the
Government. It needs as well
to find ongoing expression in
the teaching discipline of
strategic security studies now
in its adolescence at NZ
universities.
Vital Issues
The debate about how best to
rehabilitate global
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 5 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
multilateralism – in other
words to improve governance
of the UN and other
institutions of the international
system – is increasingly
framed today as a trade-off
between legitimacy and
effectiveness. Whereas it is
conceded the UN may indeed
possess essential properties of
legitimacy, it is argued in the
same breath that the UN
system is too cumbersome and
therefore ineffectual when
confronting those destabilising
challenges of modern
interdependence – such as
weapons proliferation,
environmental malpractice,
illicit or negligent financial
transactions, counterfeiting,
illegal migration, piracy etc. A
smaller core group of key
nations is required here, so the
argument runs, to broker the
international response to crisis
and chart a fresh way for
effective multilateral
cooperation.
This is not an altogether new
argument; it has circulated for
over 30 years at least, more
notably in the capitals of the
powerful who themselves
earlier formed the G7/G8 for
just such purposes. The
emergence of the G20 now
lends the issue appreciably
wider relevance although it is
not clear yet whether G20
totally supersedes G7/G8
which has reinforced the fact
of its continuing presence by a
collective decision to underpin
the Japanese currency in the
aftermath of the desperate
turmoil in that country with its
worldwide ramifications.
The claim that the UN system,
because of manifest
shortcoming, is incapable of
hard decisions should not be
taken simply at face value. We
will come back to that point as
well as to the trade-off
between legitimacy and
effectiveness. But there are
two immediate considerations
here. First, devising solutions
for destabilising challenges to
modern interdependence is one
thing, but to be effective all
such solutions require „buy in‟
across the entire
interdependent international
community of states,
irrespective of a country‟s size
and power. One weapons
proliferator for example, no
matter how small, can readily
and fatally undermine
international non-proliferation
collaboration. The same is true
of one polluter, one pirate
gang, one group of greedy
speculators and one band of
terrorists. The lesson is clear.
However particular solutions
are devised, their effective
acceptance and actual
application must be all
inclusive.
Implausible expectation
Secondly, and leading on from
this, it is quite implausible to
expect that the new top table
G20 can morph itself from a
budding global strategic
economic directorate, into an
oversight body holding to
account all 192 individual
nations in the world today
across the full spectrum of
Representatives of the G20 at the summit in 2010
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 6 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
their international rules based
obligations. That is a task that
must remain with established,
already empowered but freshly
renovated international
institutions – the UN, IMF,
WTO, World Bank etc. Within
those institutions reforms to
reflect the reality of G20
require that newly emerging
powers amongst G20 assume
equivalent management
responsibilities alongside
traditional managers in agenda
setting, decision making and
restoration of authority.
That will be a difficult
adjustment for the traditional
managers and a novel
experience for newcomers.
One overriding conclusion is
abundantly clear. The
consecration of G20 as an
effective new top table agency
compels reform of the UN and
related institutions. The two
issues are inextricably
connected. That should be an
article of NZ foreign policy
faith. NZ participation in the
newly formed G3G comprising
a band of smaller like minded
states at the UN, which share
concerns lest G20 ignore their
interests, is timely. The group
is forcefully committed to the
view the G20 is a complement
to, not a replacement for, the
UN which retains the essential
property of international
legitimacy. These principles
should now form part of any
NZ bilateral diplomatic agenda
with greater and lesser powers
alike.
Thus far the G20 focus has
centred exclusively on
restoration of equilibrium to
the global economy following
the 2008/09 crisis. Serious
policy differences persist about
the right balance to be struck
between austerity and stimulus
in the macroeconomic policies
of individual G20 members.
Recriminations over currency
manipulation, exchange rate
policy and so-called
quantitative easing are traded
between participants.
Improvements nonetheless
have been agreed to IMF
resources, borrowing
arrangements, special drawing
rights and changes to member
countries‟ quota distribution
which determine voting rights
inside IMF. But whether these
yet go far enough to satisfy the
largest emerging economies
amongst G20, notably those
from East Asia, whose
confidence in IMF and its
traditional remedies are
diminished, is questionable.
Even as the G20 has been
persuaded by the US and
Europeans to accept IMF as
their agency of choice, some of
the newly industrialising
governments rate the Fund as
little more than a branch of the
US Treasury. For as long as
the US remains both the
world‟s largest debtor nation
yet the sole IMF member with
a power of veto, there remains
an obviously fundamental
obstacle in the way of
equitable IMF responsibility
for sustaining global economic
equilibrium.
American Attitudes
As suggested earlier the world
owes the US an important debt
for her part in creating the
multilateral system. But over
the years, as UN membership
swelled and the range of
involved national interests
expanded, US disillusionment
with its own creation grew. US
ability to influence agendas
and secure desired outcomes
diminished. The cumbersome
methods of the UN, a lack of
direction in its Secretariat, the
rigid alignments of the Cold
War as well as those between
developed and developing
member countries were all
perceived to compound
ineffectiveness. The fondest
hopes on many sides that with
the end of the Cold War in
1989-90, the UN might, at long
last, come into its own were
severely disappointed. There
were plentiful ideas for reform
in circulation but no consensus
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 7 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
amongst the powerful on
whether to endow the UN
more effectively with
resources and mandates for a
relevant post-Cold War role.
During the GWB
Administration US
disillusionment about the UN
turned into outright hostility.
Some of these American
misgivings rubbed off on
closest allies, most notably
from NZ‟s point of view, upon
Australia.
The Obama Administration has
restored a better relationship
with the UN, which the
President describes as
indispensable but imperfect.
The US Ambassador to the UN
has asserted that “there can be
no substitute for the legitimacy
the UN can impart, or its
potential to mobilise the widest
possible coalitions.” Recent
changes to the political
complexion of the US
Congress, however, suggest
greater antipathy towards the
UN may re-emerge from that
quarter. There have, so far, not
been many substantive
American reform ideas aimed
to enhance the UN capacity for
initiative, or improve
democratic governance inside
the long established
institutions which would
reflect important changes in
global order. American reform
efforts concentrate rather upon
day-to-day administration,
accountability and
transparency in the UN as well
as increased effectiveness in
key areas like peacekeeping
(although this does not extend
to actual commitment of US
military or logistics to UNPKO
under UN command). These
are worthy targets, but why is
there not a more ambitious US
agenda?
Nature of Power
Part of the reason lies in the
fact that minds are obviously
concentrated upon the G20 and
its future role as the global
economic directorate as well as
those immediate tasks of post
crisis recovery. Part also is
explained by the emerging
debate inside the US, and
indeed elsewhere, about
whether in the wake of the
2008-09 global economic
crisis, the US is actually
entering upon relative decline
in power and influence. There
can be little dispute that US
economic leadership has been
damaged by its negligent
financial supervision which
provoked world-wide crisis.
American powers of recovery
remain of course formidable
but in this globalised
information age, serious
American commentators
themselves now anticipate a
world where power is
becoming more diffuse.
Military supremacy (which the
US possesses in spades) is not
itself sufficient if other
dimensions of power are
debilitated or dispersed, and as
or if, events in the world are
The International Criminal Court at The Hague,
Holland
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 8 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
driven by the forces of instant
communications technology
that are beyond the control of
the powerful (exemplified right
now by unforeseen region-
wide convulsions inside the
Middle East). A somewhat
more sophisticated
understanding is needed about
how actually to measure
balance of power.
Obama Strategy
President Obama‟s declared
strategy is America‟s national
renewal and revitalised global
leadership. The strategy
requires, above all else,
reduction of America‟s
sumptuous budget deficit. To
the extent that the UN
multilateral system can
mitigate, or reduce, the heavy
costs of the US global role by
discharging responsibilities
that might otherwise solely be
at Washington‟s charge, the
case for reform is sound. But
the President‟s domestic critics
would be quick to denounce
any new reform ideas for
multilateralism that might
imply greater sharing of
American global primacy.
Reputable arguments
elsewhere in favour of reform
rest however upon the basic
truth that power is not eternal,
and that the US needs to
ensure its notable legacy to the
world, and lock in place the
essential features of a just and
liberal world order by
improving the foundations,
with others, for an effective
equitable reformed multilateral
system. The G20 may indeed
be part of the answer to an
effective multilateral system
for international relations, but
a reformed, relevant and
equitable system of existing
institutions is an indispensable
part in its own right, of the
answer too.
American policy makers need
encouragement to reflect in
this way. NZ has recently
transformed its bilateral
relationship with the US into a
new space. This involves both
new challenges and
opportunities for the junior
partner. The challenges include
sustaining an even-handed
approach in regard to
multilateral reform with both
the US and China, and
avoiding the visible pitfall of
sub-optimal trade
arrangements with the US. The
opportunities on the other hand
lie with the improved climate
in the relationship that allows
NZ “to speak truth to power”
in ways that were previously
denied. Here we come back to
the trade-off between
legitimacy and effectiveness
which frames so much of the
debate for major powers about
reform of the multilateral
system.
As suggested earlier, part of
the trade off argument is that
the presence of smaller
countries (which are of course,
the majority in the world) in
any negotiation impedes
progress or debases the result.
The presence of smaller
countries, in other words,
creates ineffective
multilateralism. Those smaller
countries which are
conscientious participants in
the multilateral system should
not allow this version of events
to go unchallenged. NZ must
display ability here for
independent foreign policy
thinking. The record shows
Bosnian women weep near the
body of a relative at a mass funeral
for Bosnian Muslims and Catholics
killed during the Bosnian war held
at Rizvanovici village, near
Prijedor, Boznia-Herzegovina.
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 9 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
that the UN system has been
quite capable in many
instances of negotiation on
hard issues and that diminished
results are frequently as much
the product of disavowal by
important powers of the
outcomes as they are of too
many cooks in the broth. There
are of course prime examples
of failure. But these have been
often the result of ineffectual
outdated negotiating methods –
such as failed attempts by key
participants to pre-cook
outcomes or failure to devise
proper channels of delegation.
Notable agreements
Yet on the positive side of the
ledger there have been notable
agreements to conclude
negotiations on hard issues
such as to ban nuclear testing,
to curb arms production
(cluster weapons or land
mines), to strengthen
international justice (the
International Criminal Court),
to extend human rights
conventions (on the Rights of
the Child etc.), manage the
global commons (Law of the
Sea) amongst many other
issues. The US has not found
itself able to endorse a good
number of such agreements
although it has chosen to act in
conformity with some of those
laws/conventions agreed by
others.
The legitimacy versus
effectiveness argument about
the UN multilateral system
misses as well a larger point.
Over 70 years the system has
by its very existence, also
contributed substantially to
recognition of the crucial
connections in the international
system between sustainable
economic development and the
environment, of the links
between climate change and
resource security, economic
development and trade,
economic development and
poverty; to acknowledging
human security as the
indispensable foundation for
national and international
security; to devising new more
relevant measurements of
human security; to providing
prolonged protection for
refugees; to constructive crisis
management, to innovations in
preventive diplomacy and
peacekeeping and to extending
notions of justice and the
dignity of the human
individual. At the operational
level, its multiple technical
agencies have galvanized
member countries to new
approaches in food and
agricultural production, in
health protections and
improvements, labour
standards, transport and
aviation regulations,
meteorological cooperation,
intellectual property rights,
cultural heritage and much
else. It has discharged wide
ranging supervisory
responsibilities at the request
of its members, from nuclear
activities, to the conduct of
elections and the observance
cease fire agreements.
A newer younger generation of
policymakers today may be
unfamiliar with the hard
patient negotiation that over
the years produced such
outcomes which are pretty
much taken for granted. They
are now part of the
international furniture. The
need to nourish the system that
produced these results is
nonetheless indispensable as is
the need to recognise that if
one part of the international
rules based system is corroded,
then other parts will corrode.
There is an intrinsic coherence
to the rules based system. It is
not, for example, sheer
coincidence that the WTO
trade liberalisation
negotiations (the Doha Round)
have ground into the sand at a
point in time when there was
serious and prolonged
disagreement internationally
about authorisation of military
force in the name of the UN.
Yet after nearly 70 years the
system unquestionably needs
much renovation. There are
significant gaps, serious
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 10 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
failures and insufficient
coordination and cooperation
between key institutions – the
UN, the World Bank, the IMF,
the WTO – although some
improvements are being
sought.
Militarisation phenomenon
The case for serious efforts at
renovation of multilateralism
rests as well upon the state of
today‟s world as we find it.
Over the first 10 years of the
new millennium we have
witnessed a perceptible
militarisation in international
affairs. The shock of 9/11, the
fears, sometimes exaggerated,
of Islamic international
terrorism and the multiple
cases of internal conflict and
insurrection that beset many
regions, confronted the
international system with a raft
of complex tensions that
simply could not be ignored.
Over the past two decades the
US has found itself in a state of
almost perpetual war. Libya is
only the latest on the list of
conflict. In the 1990s a rash of
internal conflicts (particularly
in the Balkans) had
demonstrated that the UN is
not itself equipped (and rarely
mandated) to enforce peace
where war fighting is involved.
A division of labour emerged
therefore whereby the UN
Security Council legitimised
interventions which were then
contracted out to “coalitions of
willing member states” or to
competent regional bodies with
the requisite military prowess;
in particular to NATO whose
membership, mandate and
footprint were being extended
anyway by the leading powers
for their national security
reasons.
The UN stands for peaceful
resolution or prevention of
conflict. The line between the
end of war fighting and the
beginning of post-conflict
political, economic and social
reconstruction is often very
blurred. Afghanistan is
demonstrating that vividly
where there is increasing
evidence of military
involvement in reconstruction
and nation building. Proposals
that NATO might indeed be
equipped for such
involvements as a matter of
permanent course constitute a
further step along the pathway
to inexpedient militarisation of
international affairs. The UN is
better equipped through its
multiple technical agencies, its
defined impartiality and vastly
greater experience with nation
building, to discharge such
complex and prolonged
responsibility. This is indeed
one of the strongest reasons for
a serious collective effort now
to revitalise UN capabilities, in
particular through its new
Peace Commission, which still
seems to be experiencing
difficulty in engaging
effectively with the UN
Security Council. Greater
militarisation of international
affairs is not in the interests of
smaller countries and NZ will,
if it is successful in securing a
2015 UN Security Council
seat, need to be quite clear in
its own mind, as a non-NATO
member, about the principle
and wisdom of extending
NATO‟s role in ways that
could supplant the UN. On
grounds of cost and
duplication, quite apart from
principle, such a development
should be gently resisted.
Crucial touchstone
The relevance and
effectiveness of the UN and of
multilateral cooperation
generally, depends ultimately
of course on the harmony of
relationships between major
powers. In the present world
the US-China relationship will
be a crucial touchstone – both
globally and regionally. Given
the central place China now
occupies within the global
economy, Beijing justifiably
anticipates greater influence
within the international
financial institutions (IFI).
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 11 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
Otherwise, as a general
principle, China favours
greater democratisation of the
international system to reflect
an increasingly multipolar
world, based on precepts of
equality, mutual benefit and
respect. Inside the UN, China
continues to align itself
squarely with the developing
country group (G77) which
reflects its enduring priority to
improve economic and social
wellbeing of the great majority
of its population. Yet from a
NZ viewpoint, the bloc
dynamics of the UN system are
becoming increasingly archaic
as the multipolar world
unfolds, and interdependent
interests become mutually
reinforcing. The sustained
focus on domestic
development by most
successful emerging
economies, not just by China,
appears still to affect their
readiness to assume the new
burden of global responsibility
that would be involved inside a
reconditioned international
system. But more than that
they are not confident either
that space will be conceded by
the traditional powers to allow
them an equivalent place in the
management of an improved
system.
The US sees reform of
multilateralism as a means to
revitalise American global
leadership. In that sense, it
does not endorse multipolarity
even though President Obama
rightly insists that the US can
no longer “go it alone” in the
ways of his predecessor, and
wants to be involved with
others in the management of
international responsibility.
But the implication remains
that US preferences and
interests will continue to shape
the international agenda. There
are signs already that China
will not necessarily always
defer to US preferences. That
is not necessarily surprising
given the confidence that
China derives from the place it
now occupies in the global
economic scheme of things.
But China does not threaten
US security nor seek to usurp
America‟s place globally.
Washington is nonetheless
disturbed by what it perceives
to be new Chinese diplomatic
assertiveness, even
belligerence, as are some of
China‟s near neighbours. The
international climate for
multilateral reform, therefore,
is not particularly conducive.
Pacification role
In the circumstances, the role
of smaller countries in the UN
and beyond is to act as
pacifiers and avoid side taking
whilst urging renewal of the
UN and the multilateral system
where both the US and China
have different but equivalent
responsibilities. A particular
test for multilateralism will
likely come at the regional
level where the US has secured
a seat around the table of the
new East Asia Summit. This
has bestowed a unique
character upon East Asian
political/economic regionalism
that is not reflected in the
regionalisms of Europe, Africa
or Latin America, where the
US is not formally present.
The advance of China and of
other newly emergent
countries demonstrates above
all else that to be modern and
successful in today‟s world
does not now necessarily mean
being “western”. That in itself
is sufficient reason for
revitalising the UN multilateral
system in order to sustain an
ongoing universal forum where
convergence of interests and
values can be patiently
encouraged, but where, as
well, diversity, can be
understood and respected. That
need is emphatically reinforced
by the resurgence of religion as
a factor in international
politics, illuminated by Islam
as a defining influence of our
times. The “socialising” effects
of consistent exposure to
contrasting views and
aspirations through shared
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 12 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
membership in a relevant
universal assembly becomes
ever more vital in our
disembodied age of instant
internet communication.
Notes
► Stewart Patrick, The G20
and the United States:
Opportunities for More
Effective Multilateralism
(New York, 2010), pp39-41
► Ngaire Woods, Global
Governance after the
Financial Crisis: A New
Multilateralism or the Last
Gasp of Great Powers,
global policy, vol 1, No 1
(2010), pp.51-63
► US Assistant Secretary of
State Brimmer, Revitalising
the UN & Multilateral
Cooperation: Obama
Administration Progress
(Brookings, Feb 2011)
(state.gov/p/ion/rm)
► Joseph Nye, The Reality of
Virtual Power (Davos,
Project Syndicate, Feb
2011(www.projectsyndicate
.org/commentry/nye91/engl
ish).
► The Wellington
Declaration, Nov 2010
(www.mfat.govt.nz)
► For example, the United
States has not signed or
ratified the Law of the Sea
Convention,
Comprehensive Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty, the Kyoto
Protocol on Climate
Change, the Statute of the
International Criminal
Court, the treaties banning
cluster munitions and land
mines, the International
Conventions on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights,
on Migrant Workers, on
Rights of the Child, on
Protection against Enforced
Disappearance, on
Discrimination against
Women, the Optional
Protocol to the Convention
on Torture, as well as six of
the eight ILO conventions
which set out core labour
standards. This is a notable
list!
your UNA‟s membership and
leadership, both past and
present, for 65 years of
commitment to the values and
ideals of the United Nations,
and for being steadfast and
active contributors to
WFUNA‟s vibrant global
network. In 1946 the founding
UNAs were ahead of their
time – recognizing the
increasing interdependence of
global issues, the unique and
essential role of the United
Nations, and the need for a
dynamic and resourceful civil
society to champion it. Today,
the role of WFUNA and
UNAs has become ever more
valuable as we support and aid
the United Nations in tackling
diverse international
challenges, and work towards
strengthening and improving
the world body.
As our contribution to your
national anniversary
celebrations this year, we have
arranged for a message from
Secretary-General Ban Ki-
moon for this occasion. Please
feel free to use this in your
publications and events
throughout the anniversary
year.
I look to your UNAs for
continued leadership and
collaboration as we continue
to grow and enrich our
organization in the coming
years.
Sincerely,
Bonian Golmohammadi
Secretary-General
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Just one year after the
proclamation of the UN
Charter, our organization was
founded in the Grand Duchy
of Luxembourg, on 2 August
1946 by 22 United Nations
Associations. This year
marks the 65th anniversary of
this historic Plenary
Assembly, and the occasion
to celebrate the anniversary
of WFUNA and its founding
members. I would like to
express my congratulations to
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 13 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: THE
ROLE OF A SMALL STATES
AT THE UNITED NATIONS
AMBASSADOR JIM MCLAY
Address to Juniata College, Pennsylvania
Summarised by Gray Southon
27 April 2011
This address commences with
the role of New Zealand and
other small states in the
formation of the UN‟s Charter,
creating a much greater
recognition of human rights,
including the rights of
indigenous peoples, the role of
the Economic and Social
Council and decolonisation, as
well as the opposition to the
Security Council veto – the
only provision that was forced
to a vote.
“Through almost seven
decades of conflict and
catastrophe, peace and
prosperity, small states have
worked to ensure the great
powers didn‟t monopolise an
institution whose role and
function affects everyone.
History has shown (as only
history can) that it‟s in the
interests of the international
community that small states be
represented and heard, and that
they can be influential in the
work of the United Nations
and beyond; that they can
make a difference.”
It then goes on to review the
nature of small states and their
role in the work of the UN in
greater detail, including within
the Security Council. Their
impact is included in the
effective veto in the SC of
seven non-permanent states,
some of which are small states.
A specific example is the role
of New Zealand in pressuring
the SC, albeit unsuccessfully,
to act on the 1994 Rwanda
catastrophe. More recently
with Libya, the role of the non-
permanent states was also
critical.
This address also discusses the
role of the UN in the context of
other multilateral institutions,
especially the G20, and the
impact of the private
international entities. While
these other organisations have
a role, the inclusive,
comprehensive nature of the
UN provides a legitimacy that
other interests often cannot
achieve.
Summary and extract – the full
version is available at:
http://www.nzembassy.com/un
ited-nations/news/address-by-
ambassador-jim-mclay-to-
juniata-college-pennsylvania
It then goes on to address:
New Zealand and Security Council Reform
Unlike some, I don't criticise
the “post-war settlement” of
1945 that gave us the United
Nations, even with its less-
than-perfect structures. It has
generally served New Zealand
well; and if we just focussed
on our own interests, it could
be argued we mightn‟t do as
well out of some of the
suggested changes to the UN.
Even so, we generally support
reform of the Security Council
that would, inevitably, bring
more members to its table -
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because, given the value New
Zealand places on multilateral
engagement, it‟s not in our
broader interest that the
Council might lose credibility,
perhaps even be usurped. For
all its shortcomings, we value
the role that can be played by
the United Nations Security
Council. It is only through the
Council that the international
community can ensure we
don‟t repeat the mistakes of
Rwanda and Srebrenica;
indeed, it is only through the
Council that the international
community can deliver on the
promises of international peace
and security we made to each
other in the UN Charter of
1945.
We want a Security Council
that is ready, willing and able
to address such issues, and to
do so with the credibility that
comes from a broad-based,
contemporary membership and
structure. However, despite
widespread calls for reforms
that might deliver such
credibility, there‟s been little
progress over the past 20
years. And it‟s not just the
Council‟s structure that needs
reform. Its working methods
affect the ability of the rest of
us to follow and contribute to
its work, and directly impact
on the Council‟s legitimacy.
Reform of the Council‟s
structure and membership
would require amendments to
the UN Charter (thus
triggering the treaty approval
procedures required by many
national constitutions, not least
in the US); and that wouldn‟t
be required if we only changed
its working methods. New
Zealand therefore supports
current initiatives to make the
Council more transparent and
open; and it‟s again significant
that those proposals come from
a group of small states, known
as the “Small Five”. Some of
the P5 actively oppose such
measures, even arguing that
it‟s for the Council alone to
decide how it should operate.
New Zealand and the Security Council
Prime Minister John Key
addresses the United Nations
What then should the United
Nations expect of a small
Member State that seeks non-
permanent membership of its
Security Council?; and what
should a small state aspire to
achieve through that
membership? More
specifically, what can a small
state bring to the Security
Council? It‟s not enough that it
should simply seek to enjoy a
periodic “place in the Security
Council sun”, with neither an
agenda, nor a track record, nor
a relevant philosophy, let alone
meeting the Charter‟s
requirements that, when the
GA elects nonpermanent
members, “due regard …
[must be] specially paid, in the
first instance to the
contribution of Members of the
United Nations to the
maintenance of international
peace and security and to the
other purposes of the
Organization, and also to
equitable geographical
distribution”. I ask those
questions not just rhetorically,
but in a specific context.
New Zealand last served on the
Security Council in 1993-
1994, and is again seeking
election for the 2015-2016
term. At the UN, New Zealand
is recognised as an
independent and pragmatic
Member State, which
advocates and pursues
constructive solutions, doesn‟t
play bloc politics, and builds
bridges between factions. We
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THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 15 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
are not members of the G8 or
the G20, and, even though we
are very close to Australia and
the United States, and an
active participant in the
ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF), the principal forum for
security dialogue in Asia, we
are not a member of any
military alliance; so we bring
an independent voice to
multilateral discussions. We
take balanced positions on
tough issues.
New Zealand is one of the
oldest and longest continuous
democracies, with the world‟s
eighth oldest national
parliament; it was the first
country to give women the
vote (in 1893); it‟s a multi-
racial society that has
developed unique structures
for addressing indigenous
issues; and it‟s a Pacific
country that reflects the culture
and values of its region. So, we
do have strong values to which
we consistently adhere; but we
don‟t necessarily seek to force
those values on others. We
contribute substantively to the
UN‟s work - both financially
and through participation in
UN and UN-mandated
peacekeeping missions; and
also by leading UN
negotiations on issues as
different as the development of
small island states, the rights
of persons with disabilities,
and control of small arms and
light weapons. We‟re also
known at the UN as leaders
and innovators; willing to
embrace and use new ideas -
small countries tend to bring
innovative, fresh ideas to an
organisation that is, too often,
hamstrung by political division
and drowned in absurd
bureaucracy (often maintained
under the guise of tradition)
Overall, New Zealand has a
reputation as a global citizen
with a global perspective and a
sense of global responsibility -
one that advocates actions and
outcomes based on the
international Rule of Law, and
participates meaningfully in
multilateral institutions. Even
though we are far from much
that tears and tramples at the
rest of the world, we often find
ourselves pushing much larger
countries to act differently (as
in respect of Rwanda), or
working with others to forge
compromises, or assuming the
responsibility of advancing key
policy objectives because the
larger powers are hamstrung
by their own - very often
competing - interests. In 2011,
we can‟t predict the problems
that will face the Council in
2015 and 2016; but they‟ll
certainly be the great issues of
the day - issues on which a
principled and independent
stance should make a
difference. New Zealand
would also bring a fresh,
Pacific perspective to the
Security Council‟s
deliberations - indeed, the
voice, culture and values of the
Pacific have only rarely been
represented at the Council‟s
circular table.
In terms of population,
markets, culture, outlook, and
our view of the world, we are
not Europe. We haven‟t just
applied the European template
to another, remote region; we
are an integral part of Asia-
Pacific; some of us have had to
show flexibility and
willingness partly to change
our identity, and our way of
doing things, to reflect a very
different region from that
which they might have come -
and, indeed, to reflect a very
different century from that
which went before. All that
means we don‟t necessarily act
or respond the way others do;
we don‟t necessarily approach
and solve problems in the
manner of others; and we are
different. We are, if you like,
the country that accounts for
40 percent of the world‟s dairy
trade; the same country that
gave you The Lord of the
Rings and the Flight of the
Conchords.
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THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 16 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
Security Council membership
will give us the opportunity to
apply all those attributes to the
vital and complex matters of
international peace and
security that confront the
Council.
Conclusion
Addressing the Uruguayan
Parliament in 1998, the then
UN Secretary-General, Kofi
Annan, said of small states that
they “are more than capable of
holding their own”, and that
“their contributions are the
very glue of progressive
international cooperation for
the common good”. It‟s
inevitable that every state will
view its UN membership
through the prism of national
self-interest; and the more
democratic the state, the more
that self-interest will be
influenced by those on the
street (autocracies can and do
ignore such views). The
resulting, noisy debate is the
sound of the United Nations at
work. Sometimes, that self-
interest can be enlightened;
sometimes, it will even
coincide with the interests of
the UN and the wider
international community - Kofi
Annan‟s “common good”.
From the day we first “argued
the toss” in San Francisco, and
for nearly seven decades since,
our principles have been
closely aligned with those on
which the UN was founded -
what‟s in the interests of the
UN, is often also in New
Zealand‟s interests. A small
state with that history and with
those attributes can make a big
contribution to the United
Nations. We don't seek
election to the Security
Council on the basis of some
mistaken sense of regional or
national entitlement; and, even
though we‟d represent a region
that‟s had less Council
membership than many others,
we‟re not simply claiming “our
share” or that “it‟s our turn”.
All this should be more than
just an insiders‟ game, with
participants selected by
rotation, and played out in an
isolated “East River Bubble”.
We seek a role at the “high
table” of international affairs
because we really do believe
we can bring a fresh
perspective to the Council‟s
great issues of peace and
security; because our track
record shows we can build
bridges and offer constructive
solutions, and that we can act
“professionally and credibly
and with nimbleness and
flexibility”; because we don‟t
belong to any self-interested
bloc, alliance or grouping;
because we are regarded by
others as principled,
independent, pragmatic,
innovative and trustworthy;
and, above all, because we
know (indeed, history tells us)
that we can make a difference.
And, after 66 years, in which
the UN has struggled its way
through conflict and
catastrophe towards peace and
prosperity, making a difference
is what it‟s all about.
UN Security Council in session
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THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 17 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
THE PACIFIC –
RESILIENT AND
REMEMBERED
BOOK LAUNCH BY
GOVERNOR GENERAL HIS
EXECELLENCY SIR ANAND
SATYANAND
Compiled by Lachlan Mackay
9 August 2011
On Wednesday 9th
of August,
the New Zealand Institute of
International Affairs, Victoria
University‟s Institute of Policy
Studies and the Pacific Co-
operation Foundation co-
hosted two launches in
recognition of the 40th
anniversary of the Pacific
Islands Forum and was
presided over by the Governor-
General, His Excellency Sir
Anand Satyanand.
The first launch was that of a
book, Resilience in the Pacific:
Addressing the Critical Issues
edited by Brian Lynch and Dr
Graham Hassall and the
second launch was that of a
project New Flags Flying:
Pacific Leaders Remember
compiled and edited by Ian
Johnstone and Michael
Powles. A brochure and
compact disc (containing
extracts of interviews with
early Pacific leaders) were
distributed and a website
www.rnzi.com/newflagsflying/
comprising the full interviews
and background notes was
announced. A book will follow
next year. Project supporters
for New Flags Flying included:
the Pacific Islands Forum
Secretariat, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Radio New
Zealand International and
UNESCO Apia.
Resilience in the Pacific
brings “fresh insights into the
formidable array of major
challenges facing New
Zealand‟s Pacific
neighbours….It will be seen
that collectively they
highlighted the seeming
intractability of long-standing
regional and local problems:
weak governance, access
barriers in metropolitan
markets, political patronage,
population pressures on
limited natural resources, the
disproportionate size of public
sectors, and challenges around
economic and resource
sustainability.”
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 18 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
New Flags Flying cover
As well, New Zealand‟s near-
neighbours are now confronted
by a new suite of modern-day
issues: climate change, cross-
border crime, labour mobility,
and more recently the intrusion
of great-power rivalries into
the region. On a regional basis
the Pacific has to date
struggled to gain real traction
towards achievement of the
MDGs.
Yet grounds for cautious
optimism were identified: for
example, in the evidence
emerging that the region may
be blessed with more bountiful
natural resources in and
beneath its vast ocean realm
than has hitherto been realised.
Speakers pointed to areas of
opportunity under-valued or
untapped: in developing
visionary leadership, building
self-confidence, utilising the
strengths and loyalties of the
Pacific „diaspora‟, adopting
more ambitious schemes of
infra structure development,
promoting better awareness of
the quality of Pacific products,
and focussing donor
perceptions more on the
potential of the formal aid
programme to function as an
enabler to progress not as
growth constraint.
The official and civil society
dialogue on ways of tackling
Pacific issues more effectively
and successfully is destined to
continue for many years to
come. We trust the
accumulated experience and
wisdom captured in the
chapters of this volume will
represent a helpful contribution
to that on-going conversation”
http://ips.ac.nz/publications/pu
blications/show/319
New Flags Flying: Pacific
Leaders Remember is a
compilation of interviews with
former Pacific leaders
accompanied by text and
illustrations and captures a
time when the islands were
becoming independent –
between 1960 and 1990, strong
winds of political change
stormed across the Pacific.
“First in Polynesia, then in
Melanesia and Micronesia,
colonies became nations and
millions of „subjects‟ became
citizens.
A handful of men: teachers,
commoners, doctors, priests,
chiefs and trade unionist, led
them through those demanding
years.
Overcoming divisions,
conflicts and the heritage of
war and militarism, the Pacific
leaders fought hard for their
people and faced, head on, the
stormy winds of change.
Some were keen to go it
alone. Others wanted to stay
as they were. All knew
change was inevitable.
After the, bright new flags
were flying over Pacific
capitals as the leaders took
their people into an
uncertain future.
Listen now to those famous
men and their stories of the
time of change”:
http://www.rnzi.com/newfla
gsflying/overview.php\
The Governor-General‟s
speech in full from the event
is available from the URl
below:
www.gg.govt.nz/node/4485
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 19 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
CELEBRATING THE
UN INTERNATIONAL
YEAR OF
COOPERATIVES 2012
BY RAMSEY MARGOLIS
Executive Director, New Zealand
Cooperatives Association
In just four months, hundreds
of millions of people around
the world will be celebrating
and promoting cooperatives.
Likely to come just once in our
lifetime and probably only
once in the lifetime of our
children, a United Nations
International Year of
Cooperatives (IYC) is a huge
opportunity to increase
awareness and understanding
of cooperative and mutual
enterprise, and a year to
stimulate thinking, creativity
and leadership on legacy
projects that will live beyond
2012.
In December 2009, the UN
General Assembly declared
2012 to be the International
Year of Cooperatives, in
recognition of the contribution
of cooperatives to global social
and economic development.
General Assembly Resolution
A/RES/64/136 calls on all
member states, international
institutions, business and
others to promote cooperatives
and raise awareness of their
contribution to social and
economic development and
promote the formation and
growth of cooperatives, and
invites all nations to form
national steering committees to
ensure a coordinated response.
The resolution is available
from the UN website at
http://social.un.org/coopsyear/.
The UN‟s official goals of the
International Year of
Cooperatives are to:
1 Increase public awareness
about cooperatives and their
contributions to socio-
economic development and
the achievement of the
Millennium Development
Goals;
2 Promote the formation and
growth of cooperatives; and
3 Encourage Governments to
establish policies, laws and
regulations conducive to the
formation, growth and
stability of cooperatives.
The United Nations recognises
the definition of a cooperative
as that elaborated by the global
representative body for
cooperatives, the International
Cooperative Alliance (ICA):
“An autonomous association of
persons united voluntarily to
meet their common economic,
social and cultural needs and
aspirations, through a jointly
owned and democratically
controlled enterprise.”
While there are a relatively
small number of cooperative
and mutual enterprises in this
country, of which many prefer
to remain under the radar, they
are in the main very
successful.
It is well known, for instance,
that New Zealand‟s single
largest business is a
cooperative owned by 10,500
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THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 20 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
dairy farmers, Fonterra
Cooperative Group, but
probably less well known is
that when we add together the
annual revenue of the three
Foodstuffs cooperatives, they
are our second largest business
by revenue.
So it will come as no surprise
that when the turnover of the
country‟s cooperative and
mutual businesses are added
together, these member-owned
enterprises are likely to be
responsible for around 15% of
our GDP.
Finding out exactly what this
figure is and publicising it
widely is one of the tasks of
the UN IYC 2012 NZ Steering
Committee. Formed by the
New Zealand Cooperatives
Association, the UN IYC 2012
NZ Steering Committee will
be coordinating the activities
for the Year, creating a
programme of events and
activities.
Cooperative Movement
The cooperative movement is
rich in its diversity. It‟s also
decentralised by nature, which
means decisions and control
are not exercised in the centre.
With this in mind, many 2012
activities will have local
accents and flavours with co-
ops and credit unions
celebrating the Year with their
members, their staff and
community partners in
different ways.
Yet at the same time, the
cooperative movement has a
unity of purpose, sharing
unlike any other business
sector a set of international
principles, and governance
practices and structures.
The International Year of
Cooperatives 2012 will
provide an opportunity for co-
ops to offer common
messages, the common logo
will give the Year a common
visual identity, and the slogan
developed by the ICA –
Cooperative Enterprises Build
a Better World – will
complement existing corporate
identities.
“Cooperatives are a reminder
to the international community
that it is possible to pursue
both economic viability and
social responsibility.”
– United Nations Secretary-
General Ban Ki-moon.
Our aim for the UN IYC 2012
is to provide a legacy that
enables NZ politicians, policy
makers, regulators and the
media to have a clear
understanding of the
significance of cooperatives
and mutuals in the New
Zealand economy in terms of
production, employment,
income and the variety of
sectors, and a sense of how
many hundreds of thousands of
New Zealanders interact with
cooperatives on a daily basis.
We want these groups of
people to have a clear
understanding of the member-
driven, cooperative business
model, and how it differs from
the standard business model,
that of the investor-owned
firm.
It is also our intention to raise
awareness within the tertiary
education sector and
professional bodies such as the
NZ Institute of Chartered
Accountants and the NZ Law
Society around the cooperative
business model, and in so
doing persuade them to
introduce courses on
cooperatives into their
curricula.
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 21 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
In its simplest form, the UN
IYC 2012 will provide a
platform for:
► Advocacy
► Education
► Relationship building
► Garnering
understanding and support
► Celebrating the values
and spirit of cooperatives
► Creating pride in being
a cooperative.
The role of government in
support of cooperatives cannot
be underestimated.
Government policies forge the
regulatory environment within
which cooperatives operate.
The National Committee will
be asking the incoming Prime
Minister to host an official
launch of the UN International
Year of Cooperatives 2012 at
Parliament in February
immediately after the 2011
general election results are
announced.
A website specifically to
celebrate the International
Year of Cooperatives is being
developed. Intended to go live
in early 2012, it will be at:
http://newzealand2012.coop/,
and to keep up with New
Zealand IYC events on Twitter
follow @nzdotcoop.
Among events planned for the
Year is a cooperative research
conference in June 2012 which
is being organised by the New
Zealand Association for the
Study of Cooperatives and
Mutuals (http://nzascm.coop)
in conjunction with the IYC
Steeringl Committee and the
School of Economics and
Finance at Victoria University
of Wellington.
The Steering Committee is
presently looking for sponsors
for the Year. For a sponsorship
prospectus or to find out more
about the UN IYC 2012
National Committee, get in
touch with:
Ramsey Margolis
Executive Director
New Zealand Cooperatives
Association, Level 3, 75
Ghuznee Street
Te Aro, Wellington 6011
phone 04 384 4595
email [email protected]
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 22 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
National President Michael Powles
President’s Column
Our last UNANZ NEWS had
as its focus the successful
conference held at Parliament
on progress towards meeting
the Millennium Development
Goals in the Pacific. The
conference was a striking
example of what the UN
Association, at its best, can
achieve. Much was said that
deserved reflection and
ongoing attention. Too often,
when valuable meetings like
these are held on difficult and
complex issues, participants
rush back afterwards to busy
lives and have little time to
give further thought to what
has been said. Bucking this
trend, Robin Halliday,
Wellington Branch President,
organised a series of lunch-
hour seminars following up on
specific issues that had been
raised at the conference.
Although obviously fewer
participate in the seminars than
larger conferences, they have
enabled in-depth consideration
of key issues relevant to
development in the Pacific.
Indeed, for those interested in
Pacific questions, this is
something of a bumper year.
The climax is the 40th
Anniversary Meeting of the
Pacific Islands Forum in
Auckland. It is to be hoped that
all the celebrating and
symbolism will leave room for
quiet and serious discussion of
some of the region‟s hardest
questions. One that stands out
is how best to eradicate
poverty and encourage
sustainable development in the
region, on which many useful
suggestions were made at the
UNANZ conference and
UNANZ Wellington‟s
subsequent seminars. Another
key question, an increasingly
troubling one, is whether the
continued isolation of Fiji is in
that country‟s, the region‟s, or
New Zealand‟s best interests.
The United Nations
Organisation is an official
Observer of the Pacific Islands
Forum. Normally it is
represented at the Leaders‟
meetings at a comparatively
junior level. This year,
however, demonstrating the
importance he attaches to this
Leaders‟ meeting, Secretary-
General Ban-ki Moon is
attending. I hope our next
Newsletter will be able to give
full coverage to his Auckland
address.
Two developments are
underway that I hope will
provide opportunities to
increase our effectiveness.
The first involves very
welcome moves to increase
cooperation between UNANZ
itself and UN Youth. I began
discussion on this while
Richard Evans was National
President of UN Youth and
Elizabeth Chan, who has
succeeded Richard as National
President, is enthusiastic that
we should move ahead. Mary
Davies-Colley has been
invited, as UNANZ Vice-
President, to attend UN
Youth‟s National Council
meeting in Christchurch in
September for discussions on
the subject. In a future
Newsletter we will outline
some of the areas in which we
feel closer cooperation would
be valuable.
The second initiative is the
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 23 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
creation of what I have called a
„Current Issues Group‟. I
proposed this because I‟ve
become increasingly conscious
of the fact that while there are
current issues in which it
would be logical and desirable
for the Association to take an
interest, most of our members
are busy with jobs and many
and varied activities and have
little available time. By asking
for volunteers for a Current
Issues Group, and asking
volunteers to indicate their
particular areas of interest, the
hope is that we will be better
able to match the scarce time
of members with the demands
of a vibrant United Nations
Association. The response so
far has been positive but I will
defer taking any further steps
until there is time for this
Newsletter to have been
widely read. If you haven‟t
volunteered and would like to,
please email me at
together with any subject areas
of interest. Doing this will
entail no obligation, of course,
to make additional time
available for UNANZ – but it
should make it easier for us to
know who might be
approached. I should also
emphasise that the role of the
National Executive and/or the
National Council in relation to
policy issues will not be
affected.
I expect to report in more
detail on these two
developments in our next
Newsletter.
In this issue there is much for
all who take an interest in the
United Nations and New
Zealand‟s role in it. I
particularly recommend
Terence O‟Brien‟s piece on the
revitalisation of the United
Nations. I believe there is no
commentator in New Zealand
who comes close to
challenging Terence‟s pre-
eminence on subjects relating
to the multilateral system and
New Zealand‟s place within it.
Then there is the text of an
address by Ambassador Jim
McLay on the role of small
states at the UN. This, too, is
essential reading and the
speech also usefully discusses
New Zealand‟s campaign for
election to the Security
Council.
Both Terence O‟Brien and Jim
McLay mention the distinctive
values that New Zealand
promotes internationally,
particularly within multilateral
organisations. For those
interested in the issue of values
in international relations and
how a country like New
Zealand can best relate to and
engage with countries whose
values appear to be quite
different – something New
Zealand is doing every day at
the United Nations - I strongly
recommend a glance at
Professor Rob Ayson‟s superb
recent Inaugural Lecture at
Victoria University, called
Interests, Values and New
Zealand’s Engagement with
Asia. A link to it can be found
at the website of the Centre for
Strategic Studies:
www.victoria.ac.nz/css/
REMEMBER
Volunteers and ideas for the
Current Issues Group to go to
Michael Powles at the email address
of:
or
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 24 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
Co-presidents: Michael Shoff and
Gary Russell
NORTHERN BRANCH
The following article by Laurie Ross
was published in Peaceworks Winter
2011 – the Newsletter of the Peace
Foundation.
AUCKLAND: A PEACE CITY
Over the last seven months
representatives from
Auckland‟s peace groups have
worked closely with Auckland
Council officers to develop a
Peace City Declaration for
Auckland. This started from a
letter to Mayor Len Brown and
a presentation to Council last
November 2010 by Laurie
Ross. One of the prime
motivators is to ensure New
Zealand does all it can to
support the process of a
Nuclear Weapons Convention
for the abolition of nuclear
weapons.
The most effective way to do
this at present is to support the
International Campaign for the
Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
(ICAN). One significant way
to further this objective is to
empower civic leadership of
our cities in reaffirming the
principles of peace and
disarmament as part of their
core values. Thus, many
Auckland based organisations
are pursuing this goal
including the United Nations
Association NZ, Abolition
2000, Women‟s International
League for Peace and Freedom
and the NZ Peace Foundation.
The recent US Conference of
Mayors unanimously adopted a
resolution calling on President
Obama to pursue the
elimination of nuclear
weapons, implementing the
United Nations Secretary
General‟s 5-Point Plan. This is
endorsed by Mayors for Peace,
which has more than 4,700
members in 150 countries and
should be endorsed by our
Auckland Mayor and Council.
As SG Ban Ki-moon says,
„The road to peace and
progress runs through the
world‟s cities and towns.‟ It is
important to note that
Auckland and Waitakere Cities
each proudly adopted the
policy resolution declaring a
City for Peace in 2007
followed by North Shore in
2009. Christchurch has been a
leader in development of its
Peace City title since 2002
with numerous community
Peace Projects, wonderful
Peace Festivals and installing a
magnificent Peace Bell from
Japan in Hagley Park.
In addition, we must remember
the historic contribution New
Zealand made to nuclear
disarmament in 1987 when it
established Nuclear Weapon
Free Zone legislation as a
nation state. We must never
forget that this was based on
BRANCH
REPORTS UNANZ has active regional Branches
in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga,
Wanganui, Wellington, and
Christchurch. The best way to get
involved in UNANZ is through your
nearest regional branch:
Auckland: [email protected]
Waikato: [email protected]
Tauranga: [email protected]
Wanganui: [email protected]
Wellington: [email protected]
Christchurch:[email protected] Model UN Assembly organized by Waikato UNANZ
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 25 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
individual council declarations
as Nuclear Free Zones, which
was the result of community
peace groups‟ submissions
during 1982 – 86.
Thus, we are proceeding on a
firm foundation for the
ongoing work to regenerate
our collective conviction to
achieve this goal for the
benefit of humanity. However,
in addition to reaffirming
commitment to the abolition of
nuclear weapons we share the
common higher values for
social justice, human rights
and nonviolence as the
conditions for building a more
peaceful society.
This would take the form of a
Peace City Declaration as
stated in our formal
submission to council on 16th
June 2011. Our deputation
featured three senior peace
workers from different groups
plus two Intermediate students
making the case on behalf of
Auckland‟s youth for the
Council to adopt the Peace
City Declaration.
The Declaration starts with:
„The Auckland Council
recognises its role of
stewardship for present and
future generations and hereby
declares Auckland to be a City
for Peace. Dedicated to the
promotion of nuclear free
zones and a culture of peace
based on social, economic and
environmental justice,
tolerance and non-violence.‟
There are twelve points that
elaborate on these principles,
which support New Zealand‟s
role in the international
community to actively pursue
the abolition of nuclear
weapons.
The council officers have
produced a brilliant report,
which further explains and
justifies the meaning, purpose
and value of making a Peace
City Declaration based on the
honouring of Tangata Whenua,
human rights and non-
violence. It also included
recommendations of
appropriate council projects for
practical manifestation of the
Peace City ethos that would
appeal to the public and
involve the community, such
as peace festivals, tree planting
and peace heritage walks.
At the June 16th meeting the
Councillors were divided on
the issue and voted to defer the
matter to the 21 local
(community) boards. Thus, we
now refocus our Auckland
Peace City Committee to carry
out this task of making a
presentation to each Board. It
would be highly desirable and
laudable for the Council and
local boards to support this
ethos even if there is no
funding available. Ideally, the
Council would take pride in
branding one annual event as
„The Auckland Community
Peace City Celebration‟, which
could be organised by local
groups in their area.
So, we ask each Local Board
to please support the positive
vision of Auckland as a Peace
City. At least let us support
Len Brown as our Mayor for
Peace, in order to make
Auckland part of the
international network of cities
working for abolition of
nuclear weapons. It does not
cost money, no budget funding
required; it is a statement of
principle.
For more information or to
help support the process please
contact Laurie Ross on (09)
818 0696 or email
President: Mano Manoharan
WAIKATO BRANCH
A Model UN assembly was
organized by the Waikato
Branch of the United Nations
association of New Zealand
and held on Saturday 13th
August 2011 in Cooper
Lecture Theatre, Price Water
House, Management School,
University of Waikato,
Hamilton. Most of the high
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 26 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
school students came dressed
up in the national costume of
the country they were
representing. Students
represented the following
countries: Russia, Iraq, India,
Iran, UK, Israel, South Africa,
Zimbabwe, Germany, France,
China, New Zealand, USA and
Libya.
They spoke and debated on the
topic: Framework for a State‟s
Application of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights
within its territory.
The trophy for best high school
was won by Hillcrest High
School, Hamilton. Best
country costume prize went to
Hamilton Boys High School.
Best speaker prize went to
Sacred Heart Girls High
School, Hamilton. Best
chairperson‟s prize went to St.
Peters School, Cambridge
All students really enjoyed the
day, as they do not get the
opportunity to engage in Un
issues and Model UN in their
own schools.
UNA Waikato branch is the
only region in New Zealand
which does not charge a
registration fee for students.
and also provides a free lunch.
At the end of the day, in the
evaluation forms, a few
students made the following
comments: “Really cool,
having a chance to discuss
articles and ethics”, “Unique
experience that enables
students to express points of
view from different countries”,
“It was a good chance to meet
new people and learn about
global issues. Debates and
discussions were interesting”,
“Today has given me an
insight, an idea of how the UN
works in order to look at
differences in race, religion
and social class apparent in the
different countries present to
understand different cultures”,
“Really enjoyed meeting new
people, interesting
experience”, “Good”, “Very
informative and enjoyable
time”, ”It was a good
experience I learnt a number of
things”, “I‟ve really enjoyed
working with various schools,
I would definitely do this
again”, “Had a lot of fun”,
“Very interesting and
exciting”, “I love Model UN
Assembly and it is a highlight
of my year”, “Very
informative and enjoyable”.
Mano Manoharan, President of
the UN Association of New
Zealand Waikato Branch, says
the comments made by
students at the end of the day
clearly say that they do not get
this opportunity in their
schools. I am really thankful to
the teachers who had
encouraged the students to take
part in the assembly.
Branch President: Gray Southon
Tauranga Branch
Tauranga branch is in line for
three Model UNs this year,
with senior and junior
secondary school events
already held, and an
intermediate school event
planned in November in
conjunction with Tauranga
Intermediate School. While
this latter event will be in-
house to complement a Future
Problem Solving program,
other schools will be invited.
We feel the link between
Future Problem Solving and
the Model UN will be very
valuable, and the arrangement
will strengthen the interest
within intermediate schools, as
well as within secondary
schools in subsequent years.
Our youth executive members,
Chennoah Walford and Lucas
Davies are doing a great job in
chairing these events.
One of our highlights has been
the visit of Michael Powles
who talked to a joint evening
meeting with the Chinese
Friendship Association on the
challenges of constructive
relations with China, and a
joint breakfast with Amnesty
International on human rights
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 27 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
in China. Both meetings
stimulated fascinating
discussions. His visit was
supplemented by an informal
lunch with leaders of the other
organisations, a press
interview and a “meet a
diplomat” session for youth.
We have also had joint
sessions with the Labour Party,
the National Party and are
planning one with the National
Council of Women.
Another innovation is a
biweekly discussion session on
UN topics and concerns.
President: Robin Halliday
Wellington Branch
The United Nations
Association National
Conference in May had as its
theme Achieving the
Millennium Development
Goals in the Pacific. The
keynote addresses were
featured in the June newsletter
but there were valuable
contributions made from
panellists on issues such as
Poverty Alleviation, Education
and Gender issues, Health,
Tourism and Environmental
Sustainability, Trade and
Access to Credit. It was
therefore proposed that a series
of roundtable discussions be
held on some of these issues.
The series of six lunch hour
forums organised by
Wellington Branch have now
been held with experienced
presenters leading discussion.
They have included
Delivering the MDG’s
globally Compromises and
Challenges – Prof Paul
Morris UNESCO Chair of
Interreligious Understanding
and Relations in New Zealand
and the Pacific.
Professor Morris had recently
attended a UN Alliance of
Civilisations Meeting in Doha
where the theme was
delivering the MDGs globally.
The message was mixed and
asked more questions than it
answered. Overall the
achievement is considerable
but that is heavily weighted by
the substantial gains made in
China and to a lesser extent
India and it is argued that
would have been achieved
without the targets set by the
UN. It has resulted though in
eradicating poverty for
millions of people. Areas
where little or no progress has
been achieved include parts of
the Pacific, though as small
nations they do not feature to
any extent in the latest UN
report. The 2008 financial
meltdown has affected it but
there is general agreement on
the need for Nutrition, Health
and Education targets to be
met. These include safe water
and sanitation. Paul is
currently researching the
changing nature of the
Churches in the Pacific. The
growing influence of the
American tele-evangelists and
the Mormons along with
urbanisation is lessening the
role of the traditional
conservative churches even in
Samoa and Tonga.
A comment made was that the
UN had to deal with a messy
world when getting agreed
pledges honoured.
Governance Law and Local
Values – Michael Powles
National President UNANZ
former senior diplomat with
extensive experience and long
term interest in the Pacific.
Poor governance is
acknowledged by both Pacific
leaders and development
partners as having a seriously
harmful impact on the lives of
Pacific peoples. But despite the
commitment of significant
resources, “good governance”
programmes and projects have
not led to significant
improvement. In this situation
there is a strong case for
identifying and promoting
relevant traditional values that
support the principles of good
governance. Values, whether
they be Western, Egyptian,
Chinese, Indian etc have
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 28 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
evolved over many centuries
and Pacific values are based on
an oral tradition where Land
and property rights play an
important part. Values are a
community norm expected to
be delivered and are
remarkably similar globally
but expressed in different
ways. Do we then when
dealing with Pacific peoples
need to listen more or find a
more contextualised code with
relevant values taken into
account? While this may seem
common sense it has not
always happened.
Comments included
questioning as to whether an
adversarial legal system was
necessarily appropriate and can
we accept traditional customs
such as a bride price?
On Gender equity and the
empowerment of women in
the Pacific: some feminist
reflections on Fiji’s women
soldiers – Dr Teresia Teaiwa
Feminist scholar and Poet
who teaches at the Pacific
Studies programme Victoria
University of Wellington.
Dr Teaiwa has been
researching an Oral history of
women in the Fiji Military
Forces. Fiji is a highly
militarised society with over
2000 Fijian soldiers in the UK
defence forces, 3000 in Fiji
and many others in UN and
serving as private security
officers in conflict areas. They
are second only to the
Gurkhas. To comply with UN
peacekeeping regulations on
gender equity, in 1988 they
began recruiting women
officers, many of them well
educated and in employment.
Her research has shown that
they seek this as professional
role and a way to travel. They
want fully operational
positions and are highly
respected. It allows them to
contribute well financially to
their families. They are 99%
Fijians.
Comments included the
influence of family members
on choice of career and this is
seen here in Maori
communities. There was some
discussion as to whether it
should be discouraged,
Eco Tourism and the
Environment – Forest and
Bird project Vanuatu – Sue
Maturin Tour Leader with 20
years involvement with Eco
Tourism project in Vathe
Forest Park in Santos and
Helene Ritchie Tourist and
WCC Councillor
Linking through Skype, Sue
Maturin gave us the history of
the conservation area
beginning in the early 90s with
the need to save the forest
from logging and develop an
income through eco tourism.
The intent was that it be a
community initiative,
community owned, but there
were initial difficulties with
land ownership and authority
disputes and more recently the
need to eradicate the big leaf
vine that was smothering the
Forest. Initially funded through
UNEP and SPREP, Quaker
Friends are now assisting to
fund the villagers to eradicate
it. But first a Forest and Bird
member and weed eradication
expert developed a way of
injecting the vine with pesticide
before cutting. Sue has taken 14
tours to the village and the
recent one reported that the
vine has now been dealt with
effectively. As this is a problem
in other parts of the Pacific and
Asia they are being it asked to
help. We saw a short film of the
methods used.
Comment: Though this was a
small project with community
support and dedicated assistants
it was still very complex given
land and leadership issues.
While now considered
successful it is operated
privately and not communally.
The Future of the Solomon
Islands and the Role of the
Armed Forces. – Col Andrew
Brown (Defence Research)
LTCDR Andrew Lincoln (Asst
Dir Strategic Commitments)
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 29 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
Sheryl Boxall (Senior Defence
Analyst)
The focus was on the need for
a long term view for defence
operations and not just a
reactive response. In complex
environments this required
innovative thinking with
adequate theory of adaption.
When we set goals we need to
focus on them so they become
a reality. They then gave an
assessment – from practical
experience of the situation in
The Solomons, what had been
achieved what had changed
and what tensions that had
created. While through
RAMSI Australia had taken
the lead New Zealand as a
more Pacific based defence
force along with the other
Pacific forces had assisted
greatly. Security is necessary
for the MDGs to be delivered
but there were still questions
asked about what else had been
achieved and how to know
when was the time to leave.
Comments included the need
for a request from the country
involved for outside assistance
and determining who that
should come from. It was also
noted that there were other
factors such as resource
management land issues and
urbanisation that were taking
place and affecting security.
Maternal Health Matters
Delivering MDGs in the
Pacific – Dr Jackie Blue
National MP and Chair of
Parliamentarians’ Group on
Population and Development.
Jackie Blue outlined the
relevance of the NZ
Parliamentarians Group, the
Open Hearing they held in
2009 and the report produced
Making Maternal Health
Matter.
In the Solomon Islands five
mothers a day die from birth
complications or malaria and
other preventable diseases.
Adolescent pregnancy is high
and they are not on track to
deliver Goal 5 of the
Millennium Development
Goals which is to reduce by
three quarters the maternal
mortality ratio. Surveys show
that they would like to have
fewer children and fewer but
healthier children is a good
economic investment. She
hopes that the Solomon Islands
Leader will discuss this at the
Pacific Leaders Forum next
month. It is not helpful to see
this as a women‟s issue only
and the education of young
men is vital. Dr Blue has
recently spent time in The
Solomons where she opened a
Medical Specialists
Conference on Maternal and
Reproductive Health, then
visited many of the
stakeholders including a
wonderful Sister Doreen from
Sistas Sarve. High school costs
mean that girls education is not
given priority and if they
become pregnant they are
expelled. Family violence is
prevalent and women often
lack self esteem. Jackie
believes that if women were in
Parliament this would help
Dr Blue addressing the meeting on Maternal Health Matters.
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 30 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
greatly. 18 stood for election
but none received enough
votes. There are now moves to
introduce a temporary women
quota. More Aid money is
being directed to assist in the
area of maternal and
reproductive health but much
more is being directed at
HIV/AIDs education and
prevention.
Comments: Women are
standing for Parliament but
women are not yet voting for
them in sufficient numbers.
Culture issues are important to
take into consideration when
designing aid programmes.
Unsafe abortions are still a
problem in spite of legislation
to allow it.
UN Youth Conference Adelaide 10 th – 17th July 2011
This conference was to educate
the young leaders of tomorrow
in the issues in our world today
and to also gain an image of
the globe through younger
eyes. Over the course of 7 days
those lucky delegates from
Australia, New Zealand, and
Japan were able to experience
some of the most life changing
and eye opening events of their
lives. Debates, workshops,
discussions, and seminars were
the tools and the delegates
were the building blocks. The
conference also incorporated a
Model United Nations
Assembly at the end.
The conference was centred on
this one main workshop called
“Youth Change”. This was
where small groups of
delegates discussed what
issues were really important in
today‟s world and developed
policies to put forward to the
Australian Government. My
specific category of discussion
was International Relations
and The Effect of the Libyan
Crisis on Diplomatic
Relations. In groups of only
about 5 we shared our own
knowledge and understanding
of the issue and developed
these ideas into a workable
policy for the Government.
Many other categories of
policy included; education,
trade, indigenous affairs, and
sustainability.
UNYC also incorporated
debates and Q&A sessions
with leading politicians and
lecturers which provided
insight into how they think.
Even „Australia‟s most hated
man‟ Chris Pine was part of
one of the debates. The high
level of content in these
debates simply overwhelmed
us as delegates and many were
keen to question their opinions
and views. One key debate for
me was the question of nuclear
disarmament and if it will be
achieved within our lifetimes.
Through the entire debate my
view swung from side to side,
being convinced by each of the
impressive list of speakers but
unfortunately an almost
unanimous vote said that it
couldn‟t be achieved. This was
just one debate that left a
lasting impression on my mind
and will always be
remembered.
One of the shocking
revelations that I experienced
was the revealing of
Australia‟s human rights
record and how it has been
extremely bad. Aboriginal
people had not been
acknowledged as the
traditional owners of the land
until the 1960s. This shocked
me and gave me a new respect
for New Zealand‟s moves to
fix issues surrounding the
Treaty of Waitangi and
subsequent problems
surrounding indigenous affairs.
All in all, it was a privilege to
be there. Listening, learning,
laughing and lasting
friendships made it an
unforgettable experience. I‟m
looking forward to the next
opportunity to attend a UN
Youth Conference.
Byron Terris
Speach Award winner 2011
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 31 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
MODEL UN
ELIZABETH CHAN
President: UN Youth - [email protected]
In July, the current UN Youth
National Executive took office
with Elizabeth Chan as
National President, and five
Vice-Presidents: Chloe
Muggeridge, Chris Park,
Oliver Clifford, Victoria
Clarke and Brooke
Muggeridge. NZ Model UN
2011 was a very successful
event, with delegates
participating in outreach
projects in the local
community for the first time.
We also welcomed home our
UNYC 2011 delegation, which
had a great week in Adelaide,
and also selected our
THIMUN 2012 delegation to
The Hague. We are also proud
to establish the UN Youth
Innovations Grant this year.
Donated by UN Youth
alumnus, Bradley Scott, this
grant aims to foster effective
development and use of
technology in UN Youth. The
successful applicant for this
grant will receive $500 to
develop his or her innovation.
The Auckland region has had a
busy recent period with our
University Model European
Union and High Schools
Model Security Council, not to
mention a social university-
level pub quiz. All of these
events ran very smoothly and
had great, engaging topics for
debate. The success of these
events are certainly a credit to
the dedication of the young
people who oversee them, and
we hope all our new delegates
stay involved with UN Youth.
The Wellington region is in the
midst of its busiest season.
Recently it held the Wellington
Universities Model Security
Council and successfully ran
the inaugural Central North
Island Model Security Council
in Whanganui. Next was the
Wellington High Schools
Model Security Council held at
Parliament on August 24 and
then the Wellington Crisis
Model UN which capped off
nicely what has been a very
successful year for the region.
The Canterbury region is
pleased to be moving forward
with plans for three events in
September. A Historical Model
UN conference will be held
Christchurch on September 15.
The Canterbury Regional
Council will then be travelling
to the West Coast and Nelson
to hold the West Coast Model
UN conference and the Nelson
and Marlborough Model UN
conference. We are pleased to
be able to present these events,
regardless of the adversity we
have been facing recently. We
plan to hold a strategic
planning weekend during our
trip to the West Coast and
Nelson to set out our plans for
the 2012 calendar year.
The Otago region has existed
since 2006. Initially we helped
Rotary run their annual
MUNA event. We still do this
and the event attracts over 100
students from all over Otago
and Southland. However as we
have grown and matured, we
are now proud to offer
annually the Model Pacific
Islands Forum, Southland
Model UN and a Security
Council for High School
Students. For our iconic
student community we run a
Security Council and a Benefit
MUN. This year we also
hosted our first ever national
event, the New Zealand Model
Security Council in the last
week of August.
UNANZ NEWS SEPTEMBER 2011 ISSUE N°2
THE PEOPLE‟S MOVEMENT FOR THE UNITED NATIONS 32 UNANZ.ORG.NZ
ABOUT THE
UNANZ NEWS The UNANZ News is the
quarterly publication of the
United Nations Association of
New Zealand.
UNANZ News welcomes
articles, short letters, and
images from outside sources.
If you would like to submit
something for consideration,
please send it to the newsletter
editor Pete Cowley.at
CONTACT PO Box 24-494
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Wellington 6142,New Zealand
(04) 496 9638
PATRONS: Rt Hon Helen Clark
- Administrator UNDP
WE THE
PEOPLES
FOUNDATION Trustees: Pamela Jeffries,
John Hayes, Russell Marshall.
To make a donation or
bequest to the We The
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contact [email protected].
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National Council and Affiliates
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Region of choice: Membership Fee:
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National President
Michael Powles
National Vice Presidents
Mary Davies-Colley
Lachlan Mackay
UN Youth President
Elizabeth Chan
Treasurer
Robin Haliday
National Council Representative
Izolda Kazemzadeh
Special Officers
Natasha Barnes - Peace and Security
John Morgan - Human Rights
Gray Southon - UN Renewal
Jean-Paul Bizoza - Humanitarian Affairs
Gray Southon - WFUNA Liaison
Ordinary Members
Margaret Arnold
Alyn Ware
Affiliate Representatives
Bradley McDonald (Esperanto)
Beryl Anderson (NCW)
Joy Dunsheath (UN Women)
Helena McMullin (WILPF)
Branch Presidents
Northern Region: Michael Shroff, and
Gary Russell
Waikato: Mano Manoharan
Tauranga: Gray Southon
Wanganui: Kate Smith
Wellington: Robin Halliday
Canterbury: Mary McGiven
Honorary Life Members
Gwen Ryan, Margaret Knight,
Dame Laurie Salas, Robin Halliday,
Lady Rhyl Jansen, Joan Morrell,
Grace Hollander, Ivan Demsem,
Carrick Lewis, Patricia Morrison,
Diana Unwin, Clinton Johnson,
Gita Brooke, Mary Gray,
Colin McGregor
Affiliate Members
National Council of Women NZ
NZ Assn of Rationalists & Humanists
NZ Council of Trade Unions
Operation Peace Through Unity
Soroptimist International SW Pacific
NZ Esperanto Association Inc
UN Women, NZ Baha‟i Community,
Women‟s International League for Peace
and Freedom (WILPF), National
Consultative Committee on Disarmament
(NCCD), Post Primary Teachers
Association (PPTA), AFS Intercultural
Programmes, UNICEF New Zealand,
NZ Educational Institute (NZEI),
International Physicians for the
Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW),
The Asia Network.