Main Address
Brief
<p>H.E. Helen Clark, Director of the United Nations Development Program addressed the World Government Summit in a speech focused on current trends in global governance. She started by noting that the failure of previous global institutions led to the rise of the organizations we know today. And “while the post-war institutional framework has proved to be enduring,” with institutions such as the United Nations having had many achievements (from supporting decolonization to preventing a world war in the nuclear age) questions must always be asked as to whether it’s still “fit for purpose in the second decade of the 21<sup>st</sup> century.” </p> <p>According to H.E. Clark, the framework is not broken but some areas do need fixing to face new challenges. On the economic front, she explained that the collaboration of powerful countries, as is the case with the G20, does carry a lot of weight but more voices must be involved moving forward. She also called for an increased engagement of developing countries and emerging markets in international financial institutions, saying she was optimistic on this front with reforms in the World Bank and the formation of new institutions. H.E. Clark moved on to talk about trade, expressing her concerns about the decline in the rate of world trade covered by multilateral rules and stressing the fact that “small and low income economies are disadvantaged” as a result. With regards to development, H.E. Clark praised the progress made with the setting of the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants. Nonetheless, 2011 registered a spike in deadly conflicts and terrorism, and according to H.E. Clark, the UN is facing various difficulties addressing these issues. She specifically called for reform of veto power and permanent membership within the Security Council, describing the issue as a failure “to recognize the changes of the past 70 plus years.” H.E. Clark reiterated that the UN has indeed been successful in some areas, mentioning its recent work in the Gambia as an example, but called for “big picture thinking” to combat poverty, inequities and the lack of inclusivity in governance. While these issues are not easy to face, they must be addressed if we are to reach a more peaceful world, she explained. </p> <p>H.E. Clark concluded her speech with an emphasis on sustainability, saying sustainability and peace are interdependent. She also called for action from UN member States, saying global governance is struggling to update key provisions of the UN 1945 charter but this shouldn’t stop them from moving ahead with progressive agendas and using all available means to build and sustain peace. </p>
Speakers
Arena Hall
February 13, 2017 -
09:00 - 09:10
