WORLD ACADEMY OF INFORMATICS AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
ISSN : 2278-1315
Commit to work with the Envoy in an inclusive Syrian-led
Commission was launched in May 2011 as a joint initiative of
political process to address the legitimate aspirations and
the Kofi Annan Foundation and the International Institute for
concerns of the Syrian people, and, to this end, commit to
Democracy and Electoral Assistance. It comprised 12 eminent
appoint an empowered interlocutor when invited to do so by
individuals from around the world, including Ernesto Zedillo,
the Envoy;
Martti Ahtisaari, Madeleine Albright and Amartya Sen, and
Commit to stop the fighting and achieve urgently an
aimed to highlight the importance of the integrity of elections
effective United Nations supervised cessation of armed
to achieving a more secure, prosperous and stable world. The
violence in all its forms by all parties to protect civilians and
Commission released its final report: Democracy, a Strategy
stabilise the country.
to Improve the Integrity of Elections Worldwide, in
To this end, the Syrian government should immediately
September 2012.
cease troop movements towards, and end the use of heavy
RAKHINE COMMISSION (MYANMAR)
weapons in, population centres, and begin pullback of
In September 2016, Annan was asked to lead the Advisory
military concentrations in and around population centres.
Commission on Rakhine State (in Myanmar) - an
As these actions are being taken on the ground, the Syrian
impoverished region beset by ethnic conflict and extreme
government should work with the Envoy to bring about a
sectarian violence, particularly by Myanmar's Buddhist
sustained cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all
majority against the Rohingya Muslim minority, further
parties with an effective United Nations supervision
targeted by government forces. The commission, widely
mechanism.
known simply as the "Annan Commission", was opposed by
Similar commitments would be sought by the Envoy from
many Myanmar Buddhists as unwelcome interference in their
the opposition and all relevant elements to stop the fighting
relations with the Rohingya. When the Annan commission
and work with him to bring about a sustained cessation of
released its final report, the week of 24 August 2017, with
armed violence in all its forms by all parties with an
recommendations unpopular with all sides, violence exploded
effective United Nations supervision mechanism;
in the Rohingya Conflict – the largest and bloodiest
Ensure timely provision of humanitarian assistance to all
humanitarian disaster in the region in decades – driving most
areas affected by the fighting, and to this end, as immediate
of the Rohingya from Myanmar. Annan attempted to engage
steps, to accept and implement a daily two-hour
the United Nations to resolve the matter, but failed. Annan
humanitarian pause and to co-ordinate exact time and
died a week before the first anniversary of the report, shortly
modalities of the daily pause through an efficient
after an announcement by a replacement commission that it
mechanism, including at local level;
would not "point fingers" at the guilty parties – leading to
Intensify the pace and scale of release of arbitrarily detained
widespread concern that the new commission was just a sham
persons, including especially vulnerable categories of
to protect culpable Myanmar government officials and
persons, and persons involved in peaceful political activities,
citizens from accountability.
provide without delay through appropriate channels a list of
In 2018, before Annan's death, Myanmar's civilian
all places in which such persons are being detained,
government, under the direction of State Councilor Aung San
immediately begin organizing access to such locations and
Suu Kyi, made a gesture of acceptance of the Annan
through appropriate channels respond promptly to all written
commission's recommendations by convening another board -
requests for information, access or release regarding such
the Advisory Board for the Committee for Implementation of
persons;
the Recommendations on Rakhine State - ostensibly to
Ensure freedom of movement throughout the country for
implement the Annan commission's proposed reforms, but
journalists and a non-discriminatory visa policy for them;
never actually implemented them. Some of the international
Respect freedom of association and the right to demonstrate
representatives resigned - notably the panel's Secretary,
peacefully as legally guaranteed.
Thailand's former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai, and
On 2 August, he resigned as UN and Arab League joint
former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson -
special envoy to Syria, citing the intransigence of both the
decrying the "implementation" committee as ineffective, or a
Assad government and the rebels, as well as the stalemate
"whitewash".
on the Security Council as preventing any peaceful
HIS OTHER ACTIVITIES ARE:CORPORATE BOARDS
resolution of the situation. Annan also stated that the lack of
In March 2011, Annan became a member of the Advisory
international unity and ineffective diplomacy among the
Board for Investcorp Bank B. S. C. Europe, an international
world leaders had made the peaceful resolution in Syria an
private equity firm and sovereign wealth fund owned by the
impossible task.
United Arab Emirates. He held the position until 2018. Annan
GLOBAL
COMMISSION
ON
ELECTIONS,
became member of the Global Advisory Board of Macro
DEMOCRACY AND SECURITY
Advisory Partners LLP, Risk and strategic consulting firm
Annan served as the Chair of the Global Commission on
based in London and New York, for business, finance and
Elections, Democracy and Security. The
www.waims.co.in
ENDEAVOR 2019 | WAIMS ACADMIC PRESS
20 | P a g e