Thomas Seltzer

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On October 16, 2008, the Long Island University Institute for the Study of International Organizations was honored to welcome Thomas Stelzer as guest lecturer for its annual Distinguished Speakers series. Mr. Stelzer currently serves as the Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs under the Department of Economic and Social Affairs at the United Nations. Long Island University students, as part of the United Nations Graduate Advanced Certificate Program, received a briefing on the international food crisis and took part in a question and answer session, concluding with Mr. Stelzer’s recommendations for future actions.

The food crisis, which has its roots in the unfavorable growing conditions and rising oil prices of 2006, escalated to a global situation in 2007. As Mr. Stelzer related, member states usually come to the United Nations at a late point, when the chain of events that lead to a crisis have already progressed beyond the scope of prevention. Certain factors were combined with others, and in 2008 the worldwide food problem was a full-blown crisis. The crisis is the result of a convergence of three independently serious circumstances that, when taken together, amplified each other and escalated the problem. These three factors have been a rise in oil (and therefore fertilizer) prices, a subsequent hike in food prices, and the drying up of credit lines to farmers because of a global financial crisis.

The crisis, in essence, is one of food distribution and access to food, rather than a shortage in production. Mr. Stelzer’s job is to make sure the United Nations’ agencies are coordinated and working together to solve problems. Mr. Stelzer described the food crisis as a situation in which the United Nations has been effective and has been moving at a brisk pace towards a solution. The concern of the United Nations is underscored by the fact that the food crisis marks the first time that a President of the Security Council attended an Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) meeting. Mr. Stelzer also explained some of the approaches used by the United Nations, including the promotion of sustainable agriculture, newfound advocacy, capacity building, and the identification of shared interests.

Mr. Stelzer’s talk was well attended by United Nations Graduate Program students. Among the attendees was James Sutterlin, Director of the Office of the Secretary General (ret.) and Adjunct Professor at Long Island University. Phyllis Lee, Secretary of the High-Level Committee on Programmes, United Nations Chief Executives Board and Adjunct Professor of United Nations Studies, introduced Mr. Stelzer.

By Matthew Salber