Formidable Challenges

THE UN Millennium Summit has proved that when it comes to making the world a secure and safe place to live in there are no two opinions. Yet, the reality has remained that despite the efforts in the direction world peace has not come about as expected. Conflicts and wars in many a areas of the world sometimes leads one to question if the efforts were not enough or the strategies have to be changed.

Since the end of the II World War and the formation of the United Nations, many events have proved that the global body can do something to stem the violence in the sensitive areas together with being a forum where the warring parties arrive at a solution through dialogue. This has definitely helped to diffuse the problem at least for some time.

The Middle East has seen its problem coming to the forefront but the escalation of conflict has been checked all through the efforts of UN. This is not to say that the world body has been wholly successful in its efforts to maintain peace and thereby prosperity in all parts of the world. However, the actions have been quite helpful and thereby a source of inspiration for affected nations to sit down and search for viable and lasting solution.

It is not only wars or conflicts that pinch the conscious self but the downtrodden condition of most of the inhabitants of the Third World countries. United Nations has the mission to cater to the various needs of the people scattered all round the world. The tasks are immense and it requires not only skill in handling the varied issues under its ambit but also funds which are becoming scarce with the developed countries not doing the needful.

The Millennium Summit has provided the right forum for world leaders to view their opinion and suggest means and ways to tackle the global issues that are not only formidable but require consolidated efforts from all.

The leaders have been forthright in stressing that peace is the plank which can lead to a spurt of development activities that will assure a better life for the people. Moreover, the gulf between the rich and the poor has to be bridged through an equitable distribution of wealth which the globalisation wave has not been able to do.

Representing Nepal, leader of the delegation to the Millennium Summit Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said the challenges in front of the world leaders is to bring peace, prosperity and justice to all in an inter-dependent and globalised world. The right vein has been struck when the developing world is reeling under the effects of the globalisation phenomenon. The capacity to face the challenges are not adequate going by the current situation. Hence, it calls for concerted efforts realising the gravity of the situation. The developed countries cannot bask in the glory of their achievements alone, the needs of those countries lower in terms of economic achievements too have to be taken into account. The attention drawn by Prime Minister Koirala, in his address to the world leaders, regarding the plight of the LDCs could be an eye opener as it comes from the leader of a country which has not gained much on the globalisation process.

Now that the voices have been raised at the world forum, it is up to the world body to devise strategies that may be able to tackle the problems of the new millennium including the way in which UN could be made a stronger body with the necessary reforms and restructuring. After all the world has expectations from United Nations and it must not let them down.