ID :
76858
Tue, 08/25/2009 - 16:53
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/76858
The shortlink copeid
MALAYSIA`S UN PERMANENT RAP STEERS MALAYSIA TOWARDS ECOSOC PRESIDENCY
By Manik Mehta
BERLIN, Aug 25 (BERNAMA) -- Malaysians must be very proud of Hamidon Ali,
Malaysia's charismatic and highly-respected permanent representative to the
United Nations, who has been steering Malaysia towards the coveted presidency of
the UN's Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc), the most important agency after
the Security Council.
"Malaysia is fortunate to have a representative like Hamidon Ali whose huge
popularity and knowledge of the intricacies of UN matters make him an ideal
president of the Ecosoc," said Rajendra Datta, a New Jersey-based journalist who
reports on the United Nations.
"I would hope that Malaysia would continue with the winning team led by
Hamidon and let him represent Malaysia as the Ecosoc president. It would be
illogical and wrong to change a winning team," he added.
Malaysia, which is one of the Ecosoc vice-presidents for the current
year, scored points as a result of Hamidon's deft handling of Ecosoc affairs.
Hamidon's soft yet resolute approach, without stepping on anybody's toes in
the Financial and Budget Committee of the Fifth Committee, which grapples with
important UN issues, drew rave notices for Malaysia at the United Nations.
It was not surprising that he -- and, in effect, Malaysia -- was considered
a natural and unanimous choice for the office of Ecosoc president starting in
January 2010, Datta said.
Under the rotation principle, it is Asia's turn to assume the Ecosoc
presidency commencing 2010.
The South Koreans were keen, at one point, to enter the race against
Malaysia for the presidency but, according to some experts, they decided to
quietly withdraw and left the field for Hamidon to take over. The Ecosoc
president is assisted by four vice presidents.
Ecosoc is uniquely placed to address the world's most pressing topical
issues, including development issues and human rights. Indeed, Ecosoc's
importance has been further enhanced since the financial and economic crisis
erupted last year.
"The agency is establishing an expert group to make recommendations on
tackling the ongoing global economic crisis. For Malaysia, it is important to
assist the least developed countries (LLDCs) of this world. They are suffering
the most for no fault of theirs. The present economic and financial crisis is
not of their making," Hamidon said in an interview with Bernama.
Malaysia, which has not been hit as badly as others by the ongoing economic
crisis, is keen to share its experiences and knowhow in tackling the Asian
crisis that erupted nearly 12 years ago.
"We are also cooperating with developed countries to help the underdeveloped
countries. For instance, Malaysia is joining hands with Japan to help Africa
within the Ecosoc framework,", Hamidon said.
Such an approach has, apparently, gone down well in the third world, as seen
by moves to get Malaysia involved in important issues.
For example, Sudan, which chaired the G-77 group, also wanted Hamidon to
chair the G-77 group.
"That was a unique honour but, as you know, we cannot do two things at the
same time...that is, head the G-77 and also Ecosoc. However, there is a
recognition among UN members that Malaysia can deliver the goods despite its
small size and limited resources," Hamidon added.
There is also widespread approval among UN ambassadors to Hamidon's
election as the Malaysian incumbent for the Ecosoc presidency.
"I would welcome Malaysia's election to the Ecosoc presidency. Malaysia is a
very reliable partner for us in the Asean group. Indeed, Vietnam can learn a
lot from Malaysia's experience in development issues.
"I am all the more pleased that my good friend Hamidon would represent
Malaysia as the Ecosoc president. I have already worked with him in Geneva.
"Malaysia and all of us stand to benefit from his knowledge and rich
experience in multilateral diplomacy," Le Luong Minh, Vietnam's permanent
representative to the United Nations, told Bernama, adding that he was convinced
that "we are in Hamidon's good hands".
Similar views were also expressed by the permanent representative of
Mauritius, Somduth Soboran who, along with Hamidon, is presently one of the
Ecosoc vice-presidents.
"Hamidon has been a fantastic and wonderful ambassador for Malaysia. He did
an excellent job while handling the NAM (Non Aligned Movement) chairmanship a
few years back. His views are always sought by his colleagues and peers at the
United Nations," Soboran said.
Vijay Nambiar, a highly-respected senior diplomat and currently the chef de
cabinet of UN secretary-general Ban ki-Moon, said that Hamidon's handling of the
chairmanship of the Fifth Committee went a long way to support his credentials
for the office of Ecosoc presidency.
"Hamidon's election would bear testimony to the high respect which both he
and Malaysia command at the UN. Hamidon demonstrated his skills in bringing
together members of the Fifth Committee and achieving results in the end,"
Nambiar told Bernama.
-- BERNAMA
BERLIN, Aug 25 (BERNAMA) -- Malaysians must be very proud of Hamidon Ali,
Malaysia's charismatic and highly-respected permanent representative to the
United Nations, who has been steering Malaysia towards the coveted presidency of
the UN's Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc), the most important agency after
the Security Council.
"Malaysia is fortunate to have a representative like Hamidon Ali whose huge
popularity and knowledge of the intricacies of UN matters make him an ideal
president of the Ecosoc," said Rajendra Datta, a New Jersey-based journalist who
reports on the United Nations.
"I would hope that Malaysia would continue with the winning team led by
Hamidon and let him represent Malaysia as the Ecosoc president. It would be
illogical and wrong to change a winning team," he added.
Malaysia, which is one of the Ecosoc vice-presidents for the current
year, scored points as a result of Hamidon's deft handling of Ecosoc affairs.
Hamidon's soft yet resolute approach, without stepping on anybody's toes in
the Financial and Budget Committee of the Fifth Committee, which grapples with
important UN issues, drew rave notices for Malaysia at the United Nations.
It was not surprising that he -- and, in effect, Malaysia -- was considered
a natural and unanimous choice for the office of Ecosoc president starting in
January 2010, Datta said.
Under the rotation principle, it is Asia's turn to assume the Ecosoc
presidency commencing 2010.
The South Koreans were keen, at one point, to enter the race against
Malaysia for the presidency but, according to some experts, they decided to
quietly withdraw and left the field for Hamidon to take over. The Ecosoc
president is assisted by four vice presidents.
Ecosoc is uniquely placed to address the world's most pressing topical
issues, including development issues and human rights. Indeed, Ecosoc's
importance has been further enhanced since the financial and economic crisis
erupted last year.
"The agency is establishing an expert group to make recommendations on
tackling the ongoing global economic crisis. For Malaysia, it is important to
assist the least developed countries (LLDCs) of this world. They are suffering
the most for no fault of theirs. The present economic and financial crisis is
not of their making," Hamidon said in an interview with Bernama.
Malaysia, which has not been hit as badly as others by the ongoing economic
crisis, is keen to share its experiences and knowhow in tackling the Asian
crisis that erupted nearly 12 years ago.
"We are also cooperating with developed countries to help the underdeveloped
countries. For instance, Malaysia is joining hands with Japan to help Africa
within the Ecosoc framework,", Hamidon said.
Such an approach has, apparently, gone down well in the third world, as seen
by moves to get Malaysia involved in important issues.
For example, Sudan, which chaired the G-77 group, also wanted Hamidon to
chair the G-77 group.
"That was a unique honour but, as you know, we cannot do two things at the
same time...that is, head the G-77 and also Ecosoc. However, there is a
recognition among UN members that Malaysia can deliver the goods despite its
small size and limited resources," Hamidon added.
There is also widespread approval among UN ambassadors to Hamidon's
election as the Malaysian incumbent for the Ecosoc presidency.
"I would welcome Malaysia's election to the Ecosoc presidency. Malaysia is a
very reliable partner for us in the Asean group. Indeed, Vietnam can learn a
lot from Malaysia's experience in development issues.
"I am all the more pleased that my good friend Hamidon would represent
Malaysia as the Ecosoc president. I have already worked with him in Geneva.
"Malaysia and all of us stand to benefit from his knowledge and rich
experience in multilateral diplomacy," Le Luong Minh, Vietnam's permanent
representative to the United Nations, told Bernama, adding that he was convinced
that "we are in Hamidon's good hands".
Similar views were also expressed by the permanent representative of
Mauritius, Somduth Soboran who, along with Hamidon, is presently one of the
Ecosoc vice-presidents.
"Hamidon has been a fantastic and wonderful ambassador for Malaysia. He did
an excellent job while handling the NAM (Non Aligned Movement) chairmanship a
few years back. His views are always sought by his colleagues and peers at the
United Nations," Soboran said.
Vijay Nambiar, a highly-respected senior diplomat and currently the chef de
cabinet of UN secretary-general Ban ki-Moon, said that Hamidon's handling of the
chairmanship of the Fifth Committee went a long way to support his credentials
for the office of Ecosoc presidency.
"Hamidon's election would bear testimony to the high respect which both he
and Malaysia command at the UN. Hamidon demonstrated his skills in bringing
together members of the Fifth Committee and achieving results in the end,"
Nambiar told Bernama.
-- BERNAMA
