The war on drugs has failed in West Africa and around the world

Human beings are not property. On the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, let us reaffirm the inherent dignity of all men, women and children. And let us redouble our efforts so that the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - 'no one shall be held in slavery or servitude' - ring true.

National markets are held together by shared values and confidence in certain minimum standards. But in the new global market, people do not yet have that confidence.

UN is made even more complex by the constant interplay of politics and bureaucracy and can certainly be bewildering for a novice.

In their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda.

I think the generational change is going to be so important for Africa that we really should encourage and push it as much as we can, because some of these younger men and women, who are men and women of their times, and are also connected to the rest of the world, wouldn't even know how to behave in the way some of the old leaders do.

Microfinance recognizes that poor people are remarkable reservoirs of energy and knowledge, posing an untapped opportunity to create markets, bring people in from the margins and give them the tools with which to help themselves.