On Wednesday, 5 December, Humza Yousaf MSP, Scotland’s first Minister for External Affairs and International Development, visited UN House in Edinburgh.
The 27-year-old Minister spoke to representatives from the wide range of organisations hosted by UN House, including the United Nations Association (UNA) Scotland, UNA Edinburgh, UNESCO, UNITAR and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Among the issues discussed was the role that Scotland can play in the UN.
Yousaf said, “We have a very distinct Scottish voice. As an independent country or otherwise, Scotland has offered a lot to contribute to the United Nations. As an independent nation, we can have a louder voice on the table.”
The minister pointed out that Scotland has a different stance on some issues in the UN, particularly on the recent vote to recognize Palestine as an Observer State.
“Although we don’t have a vote, I wrote to my counterpart in Westminster to say that we think the UK government should be supporting the Palestinian bid for UN enhanced status, because if you close that political route then the only route open is the route to violence. We’ll keep raising our voice regardless of what our constitutional status is,” Yousaf said.
In November, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, Chair of UNA-UK wrote to UK Foreign Secretary William Hague in similar terms. While the UK abstained from voting on the issue, the General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of according Palestine the upgraded status of ‘non-member observer state.’
In this regard, Yousaf was asked what civil society organisations, particularly the United Nations Association, can contribute to the role of Scotland in the UN.
“I was genuinely impressed because I was not aware that already many UN organisations have a distinctly Scottish representation. That’s the role they can play. They can assure that that voice – that very distinct, unique Scottish voice – is being heard right in the top tables. When it comes to UK organisations you have to make your voice heard, you have to shout a little bit louder,” the minister answered.
Yousaf also encouraged the general public to be concerned with UN issues, stating, “In Scotland we’ve always had this spirit, this idea about being an egalitarian nation. It means you don’t come out just concerned about the individual, but concerned about the greater good. As the world becomes more globalised, whatever happens in the world has direct impact on us – be it through security, the global terror threat, or international development. We see it every day of our lives.”
And on the issue of the relevance of UN in society, Yousaf responds, “The UN is more relevant now than ever before. There is a lot of insecurity and instability in the world. A need for dialogue is more powerful than ever.”
Arbie Baguios is the Communications and Media Intern at UN House and UNA Edinburgh. This article is based on an interview with the Minister, Humza Yousaf, during visit to UN House, Edinburgh on 5 December 2012.
Picture: Humza Yousaf MSP (left) with Rev. George Grubb, UNA Edinburgh Convenor and Former Lord Provost