The tsunamis provide an opportunity for the UN to reclaim the high ground that it lost recently. Battered by the Iraqi “oil for food” scandal, which, at the least, demonstrated mismanagement, and misdeeds by officials ranging from former Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers (now High Commissioner for Refugees), who faces allegations of sexual harassment, to rapes committed by UN peacekeeping troops in Congo, the UN has a chance to rehabilitate its reputation by managing the relief effort effectively.
海啸还为联合国提供了一次机会，使其得以收回刚刚失去的要地。关于伊拉克“石油换食品”的丑闻至少说明联合国内部管理不善；其官员们的违法行为――从荷兰前总理鲁德·兰博斯（Ruud Lubbers）（现任难民署高级专员）因性骚扰受到指控到联合国维和部队在刚果的强奸行为――也破坏了联合国的形象。而海啸让联合国有机会通过有效地实施救济援助得以恢复自身名誉。