MESSAGE FROM DAVID MILIBAND

Thursday, 24 January 2008 | posted by David Miliband

I met the "Davos 6" last year at the debate about climate change. I look forward to their world leadership in about twenty years! I will be heading for the slopes (well, meetings) tonight after voting in the House of Commons at 6pm (to keep MPs pay rises below 2%...). I will be in Davos for 36 hours and look forward to capturing smoe of the spirit of the young people who have emerged from this excellent British Council initiative that I udnerstand embraced young people from 43 coutnries. As ever time in Davos is speed dating of a particular kind: from European foreign policy to Darfur to climate change. I will be seeking in particular to explore at dinner on Friday night how the global community cariies forward its commitment to protect citizens burdened by governments too strong for their own good and abusive of human rights, and governments too weak to offer protection to citizens. The UN has committed itself to the principle of 'Responsibility to Protect' but it now needs to be made operational. Everywhere you look it is the combniation of security space and strong civil institutions that allow for development that is self-sustaining. I do beileve that the international community for reasons of self and moral interest is right to challenge traditional definitions of national sovereignty that have allowed for the abuse of human rights without redress; but equally the nature of niternational engagement needs to be calibrated and effective. 'Horses for courses' is not a heroic maxim but it is important.