Change of guard at UN and US presents international relations score card

By Kiapi K. Frederick

As the world awaits the officially inauguration of the 45th US President Mr. Donald Trump on January 20, 2017 another milestone was achieved by at the United Nations too this month when a new Secretary General was handed over the world's chief diplomat baton to steer the UN for the next five years, António Guterres who replaces Ban Ki Moon from South Korea.

These two landmark events are going to shape the agenda of the international community in 2017 and shall build the lost human confidence in the UN as a global custodian for peace and security and the United States of America as a land of dreams.

For the USA the world has since the advent of the Iraq war in March 2003 seen it as big brother in world politics from a positive and negative perspective.  With the no end in fighting in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan, the outgoing US President Mr. Obama has presided over an administration that millions of people around the world in 2009 thought would usher in and restore the credibility of the US in international politics but eight (8) years on, the candle become dime.

For the two top world leaders have been at the centre of making sure that international peace and security reigns worldwide and humanity prosperous. For instance, during their median speeches that is Mr. Obama on January 20, 2009 pledged that "America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation.

We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom." This however did not seem to have brought in any fruits as the wars from Africa to the Middle East become endless and more repressive regimes emerged the world over.

In addition, the former 8th UN Secretary General in 2006 Ban Ki Moon in his acceptance speech committed to quote "I will make the most of the authority invested in my office by the Charter and the mandate you give me.  I will work diligently to materialize our responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of humanity and for the peaceful resolution of threats to international security and regional stability."

But still from Africa to Asia the world is facing one of the most human crises of our time that's the surge in the refugees from Libya, Syria and other trouble hot spots in North Africa and Asia (Middle East).

The two leaders also in their first terms in office did confirm to solving the question of peace in the Holy Land, that is, having the Palestine people and Israelites living side by side in two State solution.

This is now a litmus test for the new UN Secretary General and the President-Elect of the US to show that the world can be a better place for humanity and socio-economic transformation for all by 2030 (UN Development Agenda) otherwise any new paradigm shift may been seen to create new avenues for the communities around the world to have hope than them holding the status quo in their quest for maintaining international peace and security inclined to bring positive deliverables at the end of their first terms in office.    

The writer is the Executive Director of the Commonwealth Association-Uganda