My good Sister Jabou and brother Yus,

I totally agree with you all. Yet you have to also realize that the
Secretary General serves at the pleasure of the permanent members of
Security Council of which the US is preponderant. This situation is by
design only, considering the evolution of the UN since the League of Nations
after the WWI.  US foreign policy has ever been weary of any form of
"entangling treaties and alliances" in any form, in fact this US "paranoia"
prevented the US from being a member of the League which ironically was the
very brainchild of the US president then Woodrow Wilson. So you see the US
has ever been uncomfortable with UN.
Yes Japan is an economic power, but not a permanent member of the the
Security Council, and has very little political clout. The Security Council
sets the global agenda through the instruments of their individual veto
powers and collective resolutions.  The secretary general is just an
administrative caretaker after all.  No matter how well he means or grand
his intentions, he has to be ultimately very pragmatic and prudent in the
choices he makes!
Yus, your question is a genuine one- why shouldn't Mr. Annan use his
position to promote African issues- Honestly I see why not...! as long as he
is prudent about it.  Recently he has been scaring the hell out of Jesse
Helms and a lot of other Western powers but I believe his success in
whatever his intentions are shall depend alot on the political goodwill of
the US.

Greetings

Ebou
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