How Does Kofi Anan Define Security in In Larger Freedom - Essay Example

How does Kofi Anan define 'security' in his 2005 report “In Larger Freedom: Toward Development, Security andHuman Rights for All?” How might this definition differ from other conceptions of security? Introduction A former United Nations Secretary-General Koffi Annan has been known to give reports that have greatly impacted the growth and development of Africa before, during and after his tenure in the United Nations chambers. These reports have dealt with political, social and economic aspects surrounding Africa and the world as a whole. One such event occurred in September 2005, when leaders from all over the world converged in New York in a bid to appraise a process that was associated with Millennium Declaration approved in 2000 by the member-states. In his report, the Secretary-General proposed an agenda that related to decisions pertaining to policy and reforms to be considered and implemented in the summit (Secretary-General of the United Nations). Essentially, procedures that were carried forward from the inception of Millennium Declaration demanded the importance of an agreement that would ensure that the challenges and priorities are addressed through co-operative actions. These issues will be guided by the desires and expectations of people from all over the world (Thakur 17). Moreover, he emphasized the importance of the world pressing forward in issues related to security, human rights, and general development so as to ensure that there is notable success. In his report, Annan insisted that humanity is not likely to enjoy security if there is no development; development will not be enjoyed without security, and neither development nor security will be enjoyed without respect for human rights. Bearing in mind that the world has seen the emergence of interrelated threats and opportunities, it is the mandate of every country with self interest to ensure that these challenges are efficiently dealt with. Therefore, the case of large freedom can be addressed only through the advancement of wide, deep and sustainable worldwide cooperation, especially between member-states. In fact, the world needs member-states that are capable and strong. They should have efficient affiliation with the private sector, the civil society, and regional and government-to-government institutions (Thakur 18). This ensures that there is mobilization and coordination of co-operative actions all over the world. The report In Larger Freedom has four patent divisions, which helped summarize the security issue that Annan spoke about. They are the freedom from want, freedom to live in dignity, freedom from fear, and the strengthening of the United Nations. Freedom from want In his report, he mentioned that there has been a dramatic reduction in poverty that has been witnessed in the last 25 years all over the world. However, most countries are becoming poorer, with more than a billion people still living on a life that is below a dollar per day. Additionally, another three billion people lose their life through the HIV/AIDS prevalence, with over eleven million children dying of the disease before they attain the age of five years. He pointed out that the present generation is the primary one that has plenty of resources and technology, which makes it right for it to contribute to the development of reality for each and every one and to ensuring that every human being is freed from ‘want’ (Secretary-General of the United Nations). Through the shared dream of development in relation to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS), there has been a range of actions devised and performed – from struggles of putting all children in schools to fighting against the spread of infectious diseases, which include HIV/AIDS, in the next few years. These issues have to some extent being appreciated globally by different groups of people such as donors, developed countries, civil societies and other development institutions that are alike (Thakur 19). He emphasized that issues such as MDGs could be realized and met by ‘2015’ if people who are involved in this increase their involvement. Citing a conference that was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the same year, the Secretary-General argued that partnership was based on accountability and communal liability, which the developing countries have a responsibility of ensuring so that their style of rule is made stronger, corruption is fought, and that the private sectors within their range are promoted, especially those that are concerned with the growth and maximization of resources within their countries. This would ensure that there is funding of the national development giving way to a wider and deeper relief of the debt that most of the member-countries have. Among the priorities that were given in the issue of the ‘freedom from want’, a national strategy was incorporated that was supposed to be adopted and implemented by the developing countries – financing for development through ensuring that they establish a timetable of targets related to the gross national income, based on official issues such as diseases. The priority also incorporated trade where the member-states were requested to give a duty and quota free access to their markets for exportations that would be made to countries that were least developed in regard to such issues as relief in debts and sustainability in environmental matters: climate change, desertification, biodiversity among others (Thakur 20). Freedom from fear The Secretary-General embraced a wide dream of communal security. This was because security in the 21st century has been threatened by many factors including international wars and conflicts, terrorist attacks, organized crimes, civil violence, weapons of mass destruction among others. These threats may lead to the destruction of their own countries as the foundations of international systems. He viewed communal security at present as depending on the uniformly urgent transformation. He challenged the United Nation to go into transformation pertaining to the efficient instrument that could be used for preventing conflicts by acting on various crucial policies and institutional priorities. These policies include the prevention of catastrophic terrorism, the issue of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, the reduction of the prevalence and risk of warm, and the use of force in the context of the security issue (Goucha and Crowley 12). During the mission of preventing catastrophic terrorism, the member-states should show commitment to the fight against the war based on clear and agreed definitions that should be worked upon without stoppage into curbing the vice globally. The member-states work on disarmament by pursuing the agreement based on arms control. Moreover, the states should commit themselves to implementing, signing, and completing a war resolutions treaty. With most of the countries emerging from conflicts, Annan statement argued that the member states ought to build a peace-building commission between governments and the UN secretariat so as the system under the United Nation could meet the challenge of helping the member-states in the movement from the era of war to that of peace. The council of security within the member-states should also ensure that amicable decisions are taken in relation to whether to authorize or mandate the use of force in different situations. Freedom to live in dignity In his report, he cited the Millennium Development where the member-states promised to spare no effort in ensuring that democracy, respect for international human rights and basic freedom, and the intensification of the law were upheld. In essence, this could not be achieved without action and strengthening of democracy through commitments. The actions in the case include embracing the rule of law, playing more active roles in safeguarding human rights, especially through the bodies of the human rights treaty (Goucha and Crowley 12). Another action-based priority would be done through the creation of a democracy fund by the member-states and the United Nation to help nations that seek to strengthen their democracy. Strengthening the United Nations The report emphasized the usefulness of the United Nations to its member-states with regard to its structure – the council of security, the general assembly, the economic and social council, the council of proposed human rights and the secretariat. All these sections of the United Nations have the mandate of ensuring that all the member-states are in a better position in terms of development and of what it entails (Goucha and Crowley 13). How Anan’s definition of security differs from other conceptions of security The idea of human security has been a contentious issue for a long time. Different international organizations, law makers and practitioners, as well as scholars have on several occasions debated on the same. However, it is apparent that there is no single entity that can claim to have elucidated the correct or exact definition of human security, since it involves several aspects of life. Some of the major factors that go hand in hand with human security include development and human rights (Baldwin 6). In reference to the broad definitions of human security, the conception digs deep into the root causes of the conflicts, which tend to act as a major threat to human security. This is argued to be a platform on which measures of combating insecurity must be based so that adequate and sustainable peace-building can be ensured. Anan’s report suggested that each developing country with incidences of extreme poverty should adopt a national development strategy, which stipulates issues ranging from public investment and policies to technology and innovation. However, although such measures may theoretically provide an overview of building security and development, it is apparent that lack of political will and creation of initiatives to enhance these measures will yield little (Baldwin 8). Since the international community began deliberating on human security in 1990s, a common determinant was cited to encompass political, economic and social issues, which tends to guarantee a life free from risk and fear. In this regard, it is correct to argue that a more dynamic view of security by Anan in his report ought to have shifted from viewing human security as a state security to individual human security within the state. This is what is termed by the international community as security for the public good which addresses sustainable human development. It is also apparent that Anan’s 2005 report tended to focus mainly on the issue of security as a responsibility of states alone. However, it is worth noting that a set of strategies need to be put in place in order to incorporate all stakeholders in making decisions related to security. In this regard, it would be vital for actors such as governmental and nongovernmental institutions, military, local and international entities to take part in the process (Goucha and Crowley 14). Although Anan pointed out that global development assistance should be doubled over the next few years, policies regarding conditions put by developed countries when making their donations need to have been articulated upon in order to ensure that these conditions are in line with international relations’ codes of conduct. Additionally, those developing countries that fail to honour certain conditions aimed at facilitating security and development ought to have been spelt out. Moreover, it is apparent that some countries fail to take necessary measures to clear debts. Although Anan advocated for the redefinition of debt relief in order to allow developing countries achieve the MDGs, a clear guideline ought to have been issued in this regard. Since environmental degradation qualifies to be one of other major factors of security threat, Anan indicated that a new action needs to be taken in order to ensure environmental sustainability. In this regard, all major greenhouse gas emitters were called upon to participate in efforts to stabilize these emissions. However, a clear focus on the issue ought to have been set providing directions regarding what all countries need to do, since issues pertaining climate change had been under discussion since the Kyoto protocol was set (Baldwin 11). Another major concern that was raised by Anan is freedom from fear. The concern here was the lack of consensus and implementation of security measures. In this regard, Anan proposed the transformation of the United Nations – it should have powers to act on key policies such as preventing terrorism, disarmament of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, reducing the prevalence and risk of war, and the use of force. Although these measures can be argued to considerably help curb the issue of insecurity, it would have been better if an action plan had been developed to address issues that cause these threats. Conclusion In his report, the Secretary-General proposed an agenda that related to decisions pertaining policy and reforms to be considered and implemented during the summit. His emphasis was on the importance of the world pressing forward in issues related to security, human rights, and general development so as to ensure that there is notable success. His report comprised four patent divisions: the freedom from want, freedom to live in dignity, freedom from fear, and strengthening of the United Nations. Although such measures may theoretically provide an overview of building security and development, it is apparent that the lack of political will and reluctance to create initiatives to enhance these measures will yield little. A more dynamic view of security by Anan in his report ought to have shifted from viewing human security as state security to viewing it as individual human security within the state. Works Cited Baldwin, David. “The Concept of Security.” Review of International Studies 23 (1997): 5-26. Print. Goucha, Moufida, and John Crowley. Rethinking Human Security. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Print. Thakur, Ramesh. The United Nations, Peace and Security: From Collective Security to the Responsibility to Protect. Cambridge [u.a.]: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2006. Print. Secretary-General of the United Nations. “In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All”. un.org. 2005. Web. 8 September 2012. Read More