Annan Warns World to Back Peacekeepers

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a stark warning to member states that they are not doing enough to back the organization’s peacekeeping role. Annan signaled that this week’s Millennium Summit will be “no celebration” for more than 150 heads of state and government coming to New York in an attempt to reinvigorate the world body. Annan cited the genocide in Rwanda as an example of what he sees as some rich countries putting national interests ahead of humanitarian ones. “Governments with large armies and capacity went in to evacuate their nationals and gave [the U.N.] no support at that critical period,” he said.