Javier de Cuellar was the United Nations Secretary-General from 1981 and was later re-elected in the same office in 1986. He was born in 1920 in Lima, Peru, and did his high school education in a private school. He later joined the Pontifical University of Peru, where he studied law. He worked for the Peruvian foreign office and later moved to diplomatic service (Editors). He succeeded Kurt Waldheim as the UN Secretary-General and led many global mediations.
I selected Javier because of his long-standing service in international diplomacy and his many successes during his duties. He was acclaimed not only in his mother country Peru but also in the world for his peace efforts in volatile areas worldwide. I believe he was the most respected UN Secretary-General ever to hold that office, owing to the calls of leaders worldwide for him to serve for a third term.
De Cuellar is known for many achievements while serving the United Nations. Among his various accomplishments include:
- Mediating between Argentina and The United Kingdom in the wake of the Falklands War
- Facilitating efforts of the Contadora Group to bring stability and peace in Central America
- Negotiated the Namibian Independence
- Mediated the independence conflict between the Croatian forces and the Yugoslav People’s Army
- He established the World Commission on Environment and Development in pursuit of sustainable development
- He was also involved in the Gulf War to bring peace and stability to the region.
Given his achievements, it might be accurate to say that Javier de Cuellar was among the most successful diplomat ever to hold the office of the Secretary-General in the United Nations. He died at the age of 100 years after being crowned as the oldest Prime Minister Peru had ever had.
Works Cited
Editors. Javier Pérez de Cuéllar. Encyclpaedia Britannica. 2020.