Location: Tokyo, Japan
Date: 23 May, 2005
Hosted by: United Nations University

Context: "We are convinced that the L20 can make a unique and valuable contribution to the process of UN reform and renewal. First, each of our countries, in its own way, has sought to bolster UN capacities and performance in critical aspects of its vital work. Second, our ranks span each of the major geographical groups in the world body and include countries in different phases of economic and political development. Third, while diverse, we are also small enough in number to have a reasonable chance of being able to agree on a relatively deep and broad set of reform measures. Fourth, and finally, to date the reform process at UN headquarters has made uneven progress at best, auguring the very real possibility of disappointing results when the heads of state and government of the 191 UN Member States convene in New York from September 14 to 16.

Given the elevated public expectations that have been engendered by the highly visible reform process and the evidence of sagging public support for the UN in many parts of the world, it is critically urgent that the L20 play a catalytic role at this point in helping to focus attention on a finite menu of important and doable steps and to accelerate their achievement and implementation."

Papers

Amitav Acharya		Regional Organizations for a “More Secure World”
Michael Barnett		Mock Communiqué on United Nations Reform
Qin Huasun		L20 is a Call to the Contemporary Time
Edward C Luck		Mock Communiqué on United Nations Reform from a Hypothetical Leaders-level G-20 Meeting
Takeo Uchida		Some Considerations on the UN Security Council Reform
Yozo Yokota		“What is Lacking in the UN Reform Discourse?”

Backgrounders

Note: this backgrounder is a product of the UN Reform Conference that was hosted by CIGI on April 3-5, 2005

The UN Adapting to the 21st Century