Annan inspired the world with his diplomacy and leadership on poverty reduction and human rights, but the war in Iraq divided the world and drew attention and financial resources away from crisis regions and critical long-term problems like climate change, disease control, sustainable energy, and access to water. With the recent elections in the United States and the rise of Asia’s global influence, there is an opportunity to turn the world’s attention to the most critical challenges facing our planet.
2007年1月1日，南朝鲜前外长潘基文（Ban Ki-Moon）将在科菲·安南（Kofi Annan）10年任期届满后成为新任联合国秘书长。安南在削减贫困和人权领域所展露出来的外交艺术和领导能力曾令世界耳目一新，但随之而来的伊拉克战争却使世界陷入分裂，并把财政资源和人们的注意力从危机地区和像气候变化、疾病控制、可持续能源利用和清洁用水等重大的长期课题上转移开去。不久前的美国选举和亚洲全球影响力的提高再次创造出机遇，可以让世界各国的注意力重新回到我们这个星球所面临的最为关键的挑战。