A Frenchman by birth, Jean-Marie Guéhenno does not fit the traditional mold of French diplomats; an ambassador who is by training a senior financial judge, he has also been a banker, a professor, a journalist and a writer. He strongly believes in the need to build bridges between work groups as well as between countries and cultures. Strongly believing in transparency and active leadership, he served two Secretaries-General of the United Nations and his tenure as the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping was the longest in the history of the United Nations.
Jean-Marie Guéhenno drew on his experience as head of policy planning at the end of the Cold War to become the author of a world-acclaimed book, The End of the Nation State, which was the first to identify globalization as the driving force of our time and was translated in more than a dozen languages. His background gives him a unique capacity to put political issues in a broader strategic perspective. Jean-Marie Guéhenno brought to the United Nations a unique combination of managerial, diplomatic and strategic experience. A true global citizen, he has been recognized as a successful change manager, a key actor in a world in transition and a staunch advocate of the disenfranchised.
TOPICS
What is the Future for Peace Around the World?
Jean-Marie Guéhenno explores how failing states, migrations, nuclear proliferation, and climate change are reshaping the post-Cold War world, creating new fault lines, and posing new challenges for our security. From his unique perspective as the head of Under-Secretary-General of UN Peacekeeping Operations for eight years and his involvement with world leaders, he assesses the capacity of the international community and its institutions to cope with these challenges, the evolution of relations between the key powers, and their implications for the stability and prosperity of the world. He identifies emerging opportunities in Africa and other places that have not yet benefited from globalization, and describes how to take advantage of a new strategic environment, which he characterizes as less predictable, less controlled, but also more open to those who will know how to seize opportunities.
Recovering from Conflict
Drawing on his unique experience with states in conflict or emerging from conflict, such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Sudan, and Timor, Jean-Marie Guéhenno explores what can be done to address one of the main challenges of our time. He identifies the risk factors that can plunge a country into crisis. Using concrete examples of recent post-conflict strategies, he describes both the role and limitations of military power, and the need to integrate the military effort in a broader political and economic strategy. He outlines the implications for the futures of military forces and the civilian capacities that states, as well as nongovernmental organizations and the private sector, can provide.
Leadership in Times of Crisis
Jean-Marie Guéhenno has led an unprecedented growth of UN peacekeeping, which the Rand Corporation has recognized as remarkably cost-effective. During the last decade, UN peacekeeping almost quadrupled, and the UN now deploys close to 130,000 peacekeepers worldwide: military, police, and civilians, from more than 100 different countries. Jean-Marie Guéhenno explains how—even in the difficult context of a public bureaucracy—he has motivated a diverse workforce. He shares his experience of leadership and describes the tools that he used, including internal and external communication strategies to build a team, promote accountability, and manage risk. He also expands on crisis management and the media.
JEAN MARIE GUEHENNO BOOKS:
TO PURCHASE ONLINE:
