A certain vision of the United Nations
Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who has just disappeared, embodied the way – to sacrifice – a high idea of the independence of the United Nations and the Secretary-General function, which serves the institution today, said the Swiss diplomat Francois Nordmann
Boutros Boutros-Ghali was the first Egyptian, the first African and the first Arab to hold the position of Secretary General of the United Nations from 1992 to 1996. He owed his election to the support of France and the Africa, while the United States, the United Kingdom abstained.
Elegant, erudite, sparkling with intelligence and humor, he taught international law and for fourteen years was the head of Egyptian diplomacy. He came from a large Coptic family that marked Egyptian politics.
High idea of the function
He played to the end – to sacrifice – a high idea of the independence of the United Nations and the Secretary-General function, which serves the institution today.
Read the entire article (in french) on “Le Temps” website
Related Articles
Good Foreign Policy Is Invisible
02/28/2017. The problem is that successful foreign policy is largely invisible. Sometimes, successful foreign policy even means keeping real victories quiet.
Updated Commentaries bring fresh insights on continued relevance of Geneva Conventions
03/17/2016. Further clarifications with the adviser in the Legal Division of the ICRC.
Why is international humanitarian law (still) misapplied?
09/25/2014. Deciphering the role of IHL, a simple concept whose main weakness lies in the difficulty of its implementation.
