Inside The United Nations

When Samir Sanbar, a journalist and graduate of the American University of Beirut, left his native Lebanon in the 1960's for a job at United Nations Headquarters in New York, he could hardly have imagined the rich opportunity and adventure it was to offer him over the coming 33 years. His latest book "Inside The United Nations" is a memoir of his life at the UN.On his retirement, Sanbar had risen to the rank of Assistant Secretary-General, the UN Secretariat's highest-ranking civil servant from the Arab world. Much loved and respected by his staff and members of the diplomatic community alike, he had worked with five UN Secretaries-General, and developed working and personal relationships with many world leaders. As Head of the UN Department of Public Information, he amassed an encyclopedic knowledge not just of the structure and workings of the United Nations, but also of its people - the staff, diplomats and heads of state he dealt with in the UN offices next to the East River. As an expert Arabist, Samir Sanbar was at times assigned to nation-building missions or cloak-and-dagger operations in the Middle East, sometimes so secretive that the payroll unit, unaware that he still existed, stopped paying his salary. The book reads at times like a spy thriller, at times like a history book, at times like a satirical magazine. With his Ustinov-like anecdotes, and impish yet discerning sense of humor, Sanbar casts a critical eye on the UN system and the diplomatic and political intrigue that goes on next to New York's East River. He provides fresh insight into historical events that didn't quite seem to hang together at the time. Was there ever an �minence grise at UN HQ, and if so, who was it? Not afraid to name names and cite real-life examples, Sanbar decries the lack of leadership in UN diplomacy, which he attributes to cronyism, abandonment of its institutional memory, disloyalty to the UN 'Oath of Office' and lack of the sort of leadership shown by its founding fathers, such as Dag Hammarskjold.We also see the human side of Samir Sanbar. He speaks movingly of his own family, but it is obvious that he sees the UN as a family too. He was exasperated by a suggestion to save money at UN HQ by replacing the tour guides with talking machines and so lose their 'human warmth'. He points out that some famous people started their careers as UN tour guides. When Luciano Pavarotti was appointed the first UN Messenger of Peace, Sanbar struck up an immediate friendship and arranged a meeting with him for which even the Secretary General cancelled all previous appointments.Students of politics, history and diplomacy, will find this book essential to their understanding of the UN system and its place in history, and those who simply enjoy a good read will appreciate its insightful and witty observation of life in that extra-territorial enclave across First Avenue, which has never yet been so thoroughly depicted.

This is a clear survey of the role played by the United Nations in the major political crises of the post-war world. In covering its high-profile, peace-keeping role, its support of new nations, and its involvement in new initiatives such as famine relief and drug control, the author presents an introduction to the UN in action.

"Everything you always wanted to know about the United Nations in one book! This primer to the United Nations is designed for all global citizens. It covers the history of the UN, what it does and how it does it. As the world's only truly global organization, the United Nations is where countries meet to address universal issues that cannot be resolved by any one of them acting alone. From international peace and security to sustainable development, climate change, human rights, and humanitarian action, the United Nations acts on our behalf around the world." --

Inside the United Nations illustrates some of the parameters surrounding consensus-building at the United Nations, seeking to provide new insights beyond what is already known. The author spent twelve years as P.R of Guatemala at the UN, offering him privileged observatories in all three of the main inter-governmental organs: the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and the Security Council. In this book Rosenthal focuses on six case studies that offer the breadth and scope of what the UN does, and illustrate some of the main elements of the dynamics of consensus-building, providing concrete examples of the ingredients that shape decision-making in a multilateral setting. The chapters: cover the origin, preparation, and outcome of two successful international conferences: the 2000 Millennium Summit and the 2002 International Conference on Financing for Development; look at the 2000 negotiation on the scale of assessments to finance the UN’s budget in the General Assembly’s fifth committee (2000-2001); focus on the relevance of the Economic and Social Council; consider the internal politics involved in vying for elected posts in intergovernmental bodies by focusing on the campaign to be elected to the Security Council between Guatemala and Venezuela in 2006; reflect on the peculiarities of decision-making in the Security Council. Providing an insider’s view on the UN and exploring different facets of multilateral diplomacy at the UN, this book will be of great use and interest to scholars of international relations as well as the diplomatic community.

This book is more than an autobiographical account of the career of a young graduate from Australia who spent his life working as a United Nations official. It is in fact, a critical, indispensable debriefing of a UN insider’s account as it follows the life of a development practitioner for more than three decades within the global aid sector. It also goes where few others have dared to go before, providing first-hand insights into the realities of a UN career official’s life. While many throughout the world may wish to join the “UN family” or have already become part of the development sector, it is presumed they all have a vision to act as vehicles for positive social change. However, expectations can and may differ once realities have sunk in. The book opens a unique space in the international aid sector – particularly, population security – around elements of personal and professional rewards and costs.

The United Nations in the 21st Century, Sixth Edition, provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the UN. It explores the historical, institutional, and theoretical foundations of the UN as well as major global trends and challenges facing the organization today, including changing major power dynamics, new threats to peace and security, the migration and refugee crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the existential challenges of climate change and sustainability. Thoroughly revised and expanded, it contains two new chapters on the UN and the environment and on human security, including issues of health, food security, global migration, and human trafficking. There is enhanced analysis of theoretical perspectives on post-colonialism, feminist theory, constructivism, and non-Western views. New content has also been added on the UN's budget crisis, public-private partnerships, and the role of women in the organization. By examining the UN as an intergovernmental organization facing the broader need for global cooperation to address economic, social, and environmental interdependencies alongside the threats posed by rising nationalism and populism, this popular text is the perfect reference for all students and practitioners of international organizations, global governance, and international relations.

In the UN, indigenous peoples have achieved more rights than any other group of people. This book traces this to the ability of indigenous peoples to create consensus among themselves; the establishment of an indigenous caucus; and the construction of a global indigenousness.