UNU Update: Tokyo Global Forum 2004

The newsletter of United Nations University and its international
network of research and training centres/programmes

Issue30: March-April 2004

Experts address challenges
of building peace after war

Francesc Vendrell (left) and Yasushi Akashi listen to a question
from the audience during the Tokyo Global Forum.

The role of education, policing, peace-building, reconciliation and transitional justice in bringing democratic governance and development to post-conflict societies generated spirited discussion at the fourth EU-UNU Tokyo Global Forum, held February 5 at UNU Centre.

The forum's theme, From Civil Strife to Civil Society: Post-conflict Reconstruction, Peace-building and Reconciliation, could not have been more timely given the decision to send members of Japan's self defence forces to join reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

The challenges facing Japanese and other forces as well as international agencies and NGOs as they set about rebuilding the physical and institutional infrastructure of this devastated region were discussed by a panel of experts with experience in reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, West Africa, the Balkans, East Timor and Iraq.

More than 300 people attended the forum which attracted a diverse group of politicians, EU and UN representatives, scholars, NGO and media representatives as well as members of the public. Participants included Francesc Vendrell, EU special representative in Afghanistan; Yasushi Akashi, chairman of the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention; Philippe Morillon, member of the European Parliament; Yoshiyuki Yamamoto, associate professor at Nagoya University and former chief of mission of UNHCR sub-office in Kabul; Michael G. Smith, chief executive offficer AUSTCARE (Australians Caring for Refugees); Ameerah Haq, deputy assistant administrator and deputy director of UNDP's Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery; Keiko Kiyama, secretary-general, Japan Emergency NGOs; Amin Saikal, director, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies and professor of political science at Australian National University; Leonard Doyle, foreign editor, The Independent; and Alex Boraine, president of the International Center for Transitional Justice.

The event was the fourth in the annual Eu-UNU Tokyo Global Forum series, which began in 2001 when UN University and the Delegation of the European Commission in Japan started a series of major international conferences on political and social issues of particular relevance to the UN, the EU and Japan. The conferences focus on strengthening international cooperation and peace by bringing together politicians, scholars, EU officials, UN practitioners, media figures and NGO representatives to discuss pressing global challenges. Public outreach and debate are an integral part of these conferences.

The first three conferences had the themes:

Partners in Humanitarian Crises: Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution;
Governance Across Regions: National, Regional and Global; and
Children in Turmoil: Rights of the Child in the Midst of Human Insecurity.

Past conference speakers include: Lloyd Axworthy, former Foreign Minister of Canada; Emma Bonino, Member of the European Parliament; Gareth Evans, former Foreign Minister of Australia; David Gardner, Financial Times correspondent; Richard Goldstone, former chief prosecutor of the international tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda; Glenys Kinnock, Member of the European Parliament; Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, UNICEF Ambassador for Goodwill; David Malone, President of the International Peace Academy; Deepak Nayyar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi; Seiko Noda, Member of the House of Representatives, Japan; Sadako Ogata, former UNHCR; Keizo Takemi, Member of the House of Councilors, Japan; Fiona Terry, President of Medicins sans Frontieres Australia; and Shinako Tsuchiya, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan.