UNU Annual Report, 2005 - United Nations University

1,401 networkassociates worked with UNUPolicy dialogueA distinctive component of UNU’s mandate isto link scholarly research with policy development.A prime example is the ongoing LeadersSummit Forum (L20) research project beingconducted by UNU jointly with the Centre forGlobal Studies and Centre for InternationalGovernance Innovation (CIGI) in Canada. Theaim is to bring together the leaders of key statesfor informal meetings that could lead toresolutions of deadlocked issues. Three projectworkshops were held in 2005.UNU-CRIS, meanwhile, collaborated in theorganization of the Wilton Park Conference on“The UN’s Relationship with RegionalOrganisations in Crisis Management andPeacekeeping: How Should it be Developed toMutual Advantage?” This three-day conference,supported by the UK Foreign andCommonwealth Office, was held in April inLondon. UNU-CRIS also worked with the UNDepartment of Political Affairs to prepare forthe 6th High-Level Meeting between the UNSecretary-General and Regional Organizationsin July; the UN and regional and other intergovernmentalorganizations issued a jointstatement calling for closer and more institutionalizedcooperation. UNU-CRIS was officiallyacknowledged as the research arm ofthe project.UNU Peace and Governance Programmeorganized a panel discussion on “The Rule ofLaw and Transitional Justice” in January at thePermanent Mission of Germany to the UN inNew York, and in February co-hosted the fifthEU/UNU Tokyo Global Forum with theEuropean Union Commission Delegation inJapan. The Programme also co-organized policydialogue forums on peacekeeping themes,including a conference on “EmergingChallenges in Peacekeeping Operations –An Indo-Japanese Dialogue” (in Manesar andDelhi, India, in February), in cooperation withthe Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies(India), and a workshop co-organized withChuo University on “UN and Japan: Politicaland Legal Analyses of UN Peace Activities” (inHakone, Japan, in March).In collaboration with ACP-EU TechnicalCentre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation(CTA), UNU-INTECH provided support fornational consultation processes in six African,Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries. Thissupport included convening three ACP regionalconsultations on “Enhancing the Science andTechnology Policy Dialogue: Innovation forDevelopment”.Food and nutrition networkUNU-FNP works with leading internationalorganizations to improve food security andnutrition worldwide. Its efforts are aimed athelping to build capacity in developing nationsand organizing global research activities in anon-regulatory, non-normative environment.In 2005, UNU-FNP spearheaded establishmentof the African Nutrition Graduate StudentsNetwork, a cooperative network of Africannationals enrolled in graduate nutrition programmesthroughout the world. The group’sinaugural conference, held in September inDurban, South Africa, was attended by 39students from 13 African countries studying in19 universities worldwide, as well as by senioradvisors from Africa, Europe, and NorthAmerica.During the year, UNU-FNP completed aglobal regional network of capacity developmenttask forces by organizing groups inSouthern, Eastern, and West/Central Africa,Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, andEastern Europe. UNU-FNP also finalized aglobal review that seeks to harmonize approachesfor developing nutrient-based dietarystandards. Ten state-of-the-art papers related tothe harmonization of present approachesserved as core documentation for a joint UNU/FAO/WHO consultation in December, at theUNICEF Innocenti Center in Florence, Italy.40UNU ANNUAL REPORT 2005