AP: Obama seeks reforms in talk with UN chief

President-elect Barack Obama is urging the United Nations chief to embark on "far-reaching reform" of the world organization to help it address pressing global issues.

At the same time, in a telephone conversation Wednesday, Obama told Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon that the United States "should rededicate itself to the organization and to its mission," said Brook Anderson, chief national security spokeswoman for the Obama transition team.

Last month, Ban called for greater cooperation from the United States.

During his presidential campaign, Obama said in a statement to the U.N. Association of the U.S. and the Better World Campaign that "no country has a greater stake in a strong United Nations than the United States."

Read the full AP article here.

More on Barack Obama and the United Nations

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UNA-USA President Ambassador Bill Luers and thirty-six prominent policy figures urge the president-elect to revitalize the US relationship with the UN.  Read the statement here.

In “A Memo to the President-Elect” (.pdf) Ambassador Bill Luers lays out a broad agenda for the new administration’s engagement in the United Nations.

View President-elect Obama's letter to UNA Board member Josh Weston here. (.pdf)

Obama’s Win Could Mean Stronger UN-US Rapport
by Barbara Crossette

Council of Organizations Briefings

UNA-USA's Council of Organizations offers unique opportunities for leaders from more than 100 nongovernmental organizations to partner with the United Nations and each other. Groups with interests in education, religion, labor, sustainable development, human rights, health and women's issues work together to encourage strong US leadership in the United Nations and play a critical role in educating millions of Americans about the UN's importance in world affairs.   Learn more about the COO at www.unausa.org/council.

Listen to this month's New York briefing below.

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Opportunities for the Incoming President
Thursday November 13, 2008
Location: Church Center for the United Nations

Featured Speakers
Barbara Crossette 
UN Correspondent, The Nation, & Publications Consultant, UNA-USA

Stephen Schlesinger
Author and Fellow, The Century Foundation

With the 2008 Presidential election scheduled to take place a week prior to this monthly UN Briefing, UNA-USA’s Council of Organizations took the opportunity to ask experts on the US-UN relationship to reflect on opportunities for President-elect Obama once he takes office. Will the new President be supportive of the United Nations and present constructive new policies towards the UN on Capitol Hill? How will his policies differ from, or resemble, those of the Bush administration? How can the new President repair relations with other countries over key US foreign policy priorities while working to improve relations with the UN? These questions and more were answered by our experts at this monthly UN Briefing.