People Quote by Kofi Annan
“When people say the U.N. is useless, I ask the question, which U.N. are we talking about? We have the U.N. that is a secretariat led by the secretary general, and we have a U.N. made up of member states who give us our mandate.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: United Nations General Assembly, 2005
The UN comprises both a secretariat and member states, each with distinct roles and responsibilities.
In simple terms: The UN has two parts with different duties.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the UN’s dual structure.
Themes
international relations
governance
accountability
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
informative
educational
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- diplomacy
- academic study
Key Concepts
institutional design
political legitimacy
Questions to Reflect On
- Which UN body influences decisions most?
- How does this duality affect effectiveness?
A Different Perspective
Critics may overlook this nuance.
