Save the Date: October 27, 12 pm -1:30 pm
Please join us for a discussion of the challenges facing the United Nations with a focus on Canadian and Caribbean interests.
We have an excellent panel lined up.
The Hon. Bob Rae
The Hon. Bob Rae served as Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, where he was a leading voice on multilateralism, humanitarian protection, and UN system reform. A former Premier of Ontario and longtime parliamentarian, he brings decades of experience in governance, conflict resolution, and public policy. At the UN, Rae was central to debates on crisis response, displacement, and the rights of vulnerable populations, including Small Island Developing States. He is widely recognized for his principled advocacy and his commitment to strengthening the UN’s ability to act in complex global emergencies.
Philipp Schönrock
Philipp Schönrock is the Executive Director of CEPEI, a leading Latin American think tank focused on global governance, sustainable development, and data‑driven public policy. He works closely with UN agencies, governments, and civil‑society networks to advance evidence‑based implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Schönrock is known for championing open data, accountability, and stronger Global South participation in multilateral processes. His leadership has positioned CEPEI as a key regional partner in UN development debates.
Dr. Abiodun Williams
Dr. Abiodun Williams is a distinguished scholar of conflict prevention and former senior UN official. He served as Director of Strategic Planning for Secretaries‑General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki‑moon, helping shape major initiatives in early‑warning, mediation, and peacebuilding. Now President of the Institute for Global Leadership at Tufts University, Williams writes and teaches on multilateral diplomacy, preventive action, and UN leadership. His work bridges academic insight with practitioner experience in conflict‑affected regions.
Professor Suzette Haughton
Prof. Suzette Haughton is a Jamaican international‑relations scholar specializing in Caribbean security, small‑state diplomacy, and UN engagement in the region. A professor at the University of the West Indies, she examines transnational crime, disaster response, and the geopolitical vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States. Haughton contributes to regional policy debates on peace operations, climate‑security risks, and CARICOM’s evolving role in multilateral diplomacy. Her work strengthens Caribbean perspectives within global governance.
Distinguished Professor Andy Knight
Distinguished Prof. Andy Knight is a leading Canadian scholar of multilateralism, global security governance, and UN institutional reform. A former Director of the Institute of International Relations at UWI and past Chair of Political Science at the University of Alberta, Knight’s research explores peacebuilding, global norm development, and the UN’s adaptation to twenty‑first‑century challenges. He has published extensively on global governance and is known for integrating Global South perspectives into mainstream international‑relations debates.
Background Reading
UN80 Initiative – United Nations
United Nations Development System Regional Reform – CEPEI
Global Leadership in Action: Lessons From UN Secretary General Kofi Annan – Abiodun Williams May 07, 2026
A joint commitment to multilateralism, international law, peace and prosperity | Prime Minister of Canada – Canada PMO