UN Summit Synopsis:
Progress Made, but the Final Outcome Falls Short


From September 14-16, more than 150 Heads of State gathered to celebrate the United Nations’ 60th anniversary and establish a new, more effective and strengthened world body. The September 2005 Summit was a “once in a generation” opportunity to revamp key UN institutions and implement much-needed internal reforms. While many positive goals were achieved, progress on getting nations to work together to address today’s global problems was derailed by U.S. Ambassador John Bolton.

Only weeks before the gathering, Ambassador Bolton proposed hundreds of amendments to the Summit’s draft document. He outraged developing nations by attempting to remove any mention of the Millennium Development Goals. He angered supporters of international law and justice by advocating for the deletion of any reference to the International Criminal Court. He alienated others by insisting that world leaders address only nonproliferation and ignore agreements on limiting weapons of mass destruction.

As a result, Summit negotiations were thrown into turmoil and the final statement fell short of its ambitious goals. Ironically, the Outcome Document’s initial draft – released in late July – would have advanced the U.S. agenda for an effective United Nations much further.
Although this result was not ideal, it is an important start in the efforts to revitalize the UN. World leaders left negotiations under-standing the vital importance of the United Nations and recommitted to strengthening the institution for the 21st Century.

Ambassador Bolton said that reforming the UN “is not a one night stand” but a process. Historians will look back at the 2005 Summit and agree that important measures were taken to make the United Nations an effective and empowered 21st Century institution. They will also note that much more could have been accomplished if the United States had kept its eye on the goal and did not allow itself to be sidetracked by ideological driven issues.

The Outcome Document includes such breakthroughs as:

• A new Peacebuilding Commission to help countries establish peace and stability quickly, and prevent relapses of violence;

• A standing police capacity for UN peacekeeping operations;

• A commitment to the responsibility to protect, so that states can no longer hide behind the concept of sovereignty while conducting – or permitting – genocide or war crimes against their own populations; and,

• A reaffirmation of democracy as a universal value. And the establishment of a new, U.S. initiated Democracy Fund.

The proposals that were significantly weakened, or not included, are:

• Provisions to address disarmament or the spread of weapons;

• Pledges to provide funds to help the poor help themselves out of poverty;

• Criteria (or timetables) to create a reconstituted Human Rights Council to replace the current Commission on Human Rights;

• A clear definition of terrorism that would pull the moral rug out from under terrorists masquerading as “freedom fighters;”

• Any commitment to end impunity for serious crimes of concern to the international community;

• Reforms to give the Secretary-General the authority to manage the Secretariat more effectively; and,

• Clear-cut language on climate change and environmental protection.
  
  Updated October 6, 2005