Staffan de Mistura: Can the international community still stop wars?
Is it time to acknowledge the irrelevance of the international peacemakers? At the end of the second decade of the 21st century, does anyone still believe in their ability?
At the end of the second decade of the 21st century, does anyone still believe in the ability of the so-called ‘international community’ to stop wars, disarm dictators and protect civilians? One can decide by looking at the scale of suffering in Syria, the renewed unrest across the Middle East and the imminent American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Stephen Sackur interviews Staffan de Mistura, who has been a UN envoy in all of those places over the last decade. Is it time to acknowledge the irrelevance of the international peacemakers?
Photo: Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura Credit: AFP via Getty Images
Last on
Broadcasts
- Wed 18 Dec 201903:06GMTBBC World Service Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa only
- Wed 18 Dec 201904:06GMTBBC World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
- Wed 18 Dec 201906:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & South Asia only
- Wed 18 Dec 201907:06GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & East Asia only
- Wed 18 Dec 201914:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia
- Wed 18 Dec 201915:06GMTBBC World Service except Australasia, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Wed 18 Dec 201918:06GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia & West and Central Africa only
- Wed 18 Dec 201920:06GMTBBC World Service Australasia, Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
- Wed 18 Dec 201921:06GMTBBC World Service News Internet & East Asia only
Podcast
![]()
The Interview
Conversations with people shaping our world. The best interviews from the BBC
