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Ebola Presents Challenge, and an Opportunity, for U.N. Leader Ebola Presents Challenge, and an Opportunity, for U.N. Leader
(34 minutes later)
UNITED NATIONS — Ban Ki-moon, in his seventh year as the secretary general of the United Nations, has a full plate of unsolved problems, from a widening war in Syria to conflicts in the Central African Republic and South Sudan — to say nothing of climate change.UNITED NATIONS — Ban Ki-moon, in his seventh year as the secretary general of the United Nations, has a full plate of unsolved problems, from a widening war in Syria to conflicts in the Central African Republic and South Sudan — to say nothing of climate change.
Now comes Ebola.Now comes Ebola.
For Mr. Ban, it represents a crucial test of leadership — but also an opportunity. If he can be more effective in mobilizing world leaders to contain this calamity than he has in the others, it can serve as something akin to redemption. Or else it could leave a deep stain on his legacy.For Mr. Ban, it represents a crucial test of leadership — but also an opportunity. If he can be more effective in mobilizing world leaders to contain this calamity than he has in the others, it can serve as something akin to redemption. Or else it could leave a deep stain on his legacy.
On Thursday, in an unusual move, the Security Council declared the Ebola epidemic in West Africa a threat to international peace and security, passing a resolution that calls on countries worldwide to send medical personnel and supplies urgently to contain the outbreak.On Thursday, in an unusual move, the Security Council declared the Ebola epidemic in West Africa a threat to international peace and security, passing a resolution that calls on countries worldwide to send medical personnel and supplies urgently to contain the outbreak.
Mr. Ban told the Council of his plans to set up an emergency mission to tackle the swiftly spreading disease, which has already killed more than 2,600 people in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The new emergency mission would enable the United Nations to coordinate the world response to the outbreak, Mr. Ban said, adding that an advance team would be on the ground by the end of the month.Mr. Ban told the Council of his plans to set up an emergency mission to tackle the swiftly spreading disease, which has already killed more than 2,600 people in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The new emergency mission would enable the United Nations to coordinate the world response to the outbreak, Mr. Ban said, adding that an advance team would be on the ground by the end of the month.
On Friday, Mr. Ban is scheduled to brief the 193-member General Assembly on the mission. And he is convening a meeting of heads of state to discuss the Ebola response next Thursday, on the sidelines of the General Assembly session that begins next week.On Friday, Mr. Ban is scheduled to brief the 193-member General Assembly on the mission. And he is convening a meeting of heads of state to discuss the Ebola response next Thursday, on the sidelines of the General Assembly session that begins next week.
“Ebola matters to us all,” Mr. Ban said Thursday at the Council session. “The gravity and scale of the situation now requires a level of international action unprecedented for a health emergency.”“Ebola matters to us all,” Mr. Ban said Thursday at the Council session. “The gravity and scale of the situation now requires a level of international action unprecedented for a health emergency.”
Jean-Marie Guéhenno, a former senior United Nations official and now president of the International Crisis Group, noted both the possibilities and the perils facing Mr. Ban.Jean-Marie Guéhenno, a former senior United Nations official and now president of the International Crisis Group, noted both the possibilities and the perils facing Mr. Ban.
“The secretary general is ideally placed to focus sustained attention on cross-border challenges that overwhelm the capacities of any single state,” he said by email. “The Ebola crisis is precisely such a challenge. And if it is neglected, the chances of state breakdown and violent upheaval could grow dramatically.”“The secretary general is ideally placed to focus sustained attention on cross-border challenges that overwhelm the capacities of any single state,” he said by email. “The Ebola crisis is precisely such a challenge. And if it is neglected, the chances of state breakdown and violent upheaval could grow dramatically.”
Margaret Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization, called it the “greatest peacetime challenge” that the United Nations had faced.Margaret Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization, called it the “greatest peacetime challenge” that the United Nations had faced.
Ebola has devastated the economies of three fragile West African countries, spread panic and fear across much of the world, and taken a particularly devastating toll on health workers treating Ebola patients.Ebola has devastated the economies of three fragile West African countries, spread panic and fear across much of the world, and taken a particularly devastating toll on health workers treating Ebola patients.
“In some ways, Ebola is the perfect crisis to show why the U.N. matters: Solving it will take the whole range of U.N. tools,” including its tens of thousands of peacekeepers and experts on global health, said Richard Gowan, an associate director at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation. “Ban can talk about it as a case-study of why we need a strong U.N. and reliable global institutions, in contrast to a divisive political showdown like Ukraine.”“In some ways, Ebola is the perfect crisis to show why the U.N. matters: Solving it will take the whole range of U.N. tools,” including its tens of thousands of peacekeepers and experts on global health, said Richard Gowan, an associate director at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation. “Ban can talk about it as a case-study of why we need a strong U.N. and reliable global institutions, in contrast to a divisive political showdown like Ukraine.”
All the same, the crisis points precisely to the weaknesses of the world body. The United Nations has already come under withering criticism for not reacting more swiftly to the epidemic. The W.H.O., its main health agency, declared Ebola an international health emergency only in August, months after it had spread across borders, and it has been unable to handle the rise in infections.All the same, the crisis points precisely to the weaknesses of the world body. The United Nations has already come under withering criticism for not reacting more swiftly to the epidemic. The W.H.O., its main health agency, declared Ebola an international health emergency only in August, months after it had spread across borders, and it has been unable to handle the rise in infections.
Mr. Ban is hamstrung on reacting to the Ebola crisis in obvious ways. He has no money, no standing army and no arsenal of field hospitals, doctors or nurses on hand. He relies on member states, and at the Council session on Thursday, he reiterated his plea for countries to contribute. The United Nations says tackling Ebola will cost at least $1 billion.Mr. Ban is hamstrung on reacting to the Ebola crisis in obvious ways. He has no money, no standing army and no arsenal of field hospitals, doctors or nurses on hand. He relies on member states, and at the Council session on Thursday, he reiterated his plea for countries to contribute. The United Nations says tackling Ebola will cost at least $1 billion.
The most poignant appeal came from a Liberian aid worker with Doctors Without Borders. “We are trying to treat as many people as we can, but there are not nearly enough treatment centers and patient beds,” the worker, Jackson Niamah, told the Council by videolink. “We have to turn people away. And they are dying at our front door.” The most poignant appeal came from a Liberian aid worker with Doctors Without Borders. “We are trying to treat as many people as we can, but there are not nearly enough treatment centers and patient beds,” the worker, Jackson Naimah, told the Council by videolink. “We have to turn people away. And they are dying at our front door.”
Mr. Niamah appealed for helicopters, hospital beds and health experts. “I feel that the future of my country is hanging in the balance,” he said. Mr. Naimah appealed for helicopters, hospital beds and health experts. “I feel that the future of my country is hanging in the balance,” he said.
As diplomats spoke at the Council session, a Unicef official in Monrovia, the Liberian capital, said the country’s Ebola hotline and ambulance services were so overstretched that five children were left at home alone with the corpses of their Ebola-infected parents for three days. Some of the children were now hospitalized with symptoms of Ebola.As diplomats spoke at the Council session, a Unicef official in Monrovia, the Liberian capital, said the country’s Ebola hotline and ambulance services were so overstretched that five children were left at home alone with the corpses of their Ebola-infected parents for three days. Some of the children were now hospitalized with symptoms of Ebola.
The Security Council resolution reflects the attention that the United States has recently put into the effort. President Obama has pledged medicine, equipment and 3,000 military personnel to help Liberia, and the United States drafted the resolution and called the emergency session.The Security Council resolution reflects the attention that the United States has recently put into the effort. President Obama has pledged medicine, equipment and 3,000 military personnel to help Liberia, and the United States drafted the resolution and called the emergency session.
“So to every country represented here, especially those still figuring out how they will respond, take this message back to your capitals, please,” the American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said. “The math is simple: The sooner we act, the more of us that contribute, the more lives we save.“So to every country represented here, especially those still figuring out how they will respond, take this message back to your capitals, please,” the American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said. “The math is simple: The sooner we act, the more of us that contribute, the more lives we save.
“The United Nations was built for challenges like this.”“The United Nations was built for challenges like this.”