SIPA, Columbia University, New York, NY offers new course in the Spring 2009

Instructor: Ambassador Valery Kuchinsky, Former Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations

Regional Institute U8757 section 001, Call Number: 83553
Wednesdays 11:00am-12:50pm
Room 418, International Affairs Building
3 points, School of International and Public Affairs

• Ukraine is the hottest item on the Central-Eastern European agenda. You have a unique chance to plunge into the intricate world of today’s international diplomacy and politics by joining in the new course delivered by a career diplomat.
• What is behind the current “gas war” between Russia and Ukraine? Are the prospects for Ukraine to join EU and NATO still alive? What will the strategic partnership between Kyiv and Washington bring about?
• These and other issues are dealt with in the new course.

During the course of his professional career in the Ukrainian Foreign Service, which spans a period of over three decades, Ambassador Kuchinsky occupied important posts both at home and abroad. He has served in numerous bilateral and multilateral appointments in New York, Washington, DC, Geneva (Switzerland), in Africa and in the Carribean. At home he served as Member of the Board of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Director-General of the Americas Department, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for UNESCO. He also headed the Department of Arms Control and Disarmament.

Valery Kuchinsky has been closely associated with the United Nations: as a staff-member of the UN Secretariat, as a member and Head of Ukrainian delegations to numerous UN fora, as Director-General of the International Organizations, as Ukraine’s Representative to the UN Commission on Human Rights. On various occasions he served as President of the UN Security Council, Chairman of the GA Third Committee, Vice-President of the ECOSOC. In 2006, Ambassador Kuchynsky presided over the Executive Board of the UN Development Programme and Population Fund.

Since 1997 when the first radical reforms were introduced by UN Secretary-General Ambassador Kuchinsky has been instrumental in moving various reform initiatives. He was actively involved in negotiations on the UN Millennium Declaration in 2000. During 2005 he served as one of the Facilitators of the preparatory process to the 2005 World Summit and its Outcome Document.

Throughout all these years, he has gained priceless UN-related experience, has established himself as a leading expert in UN matters. He has authored scores of articles and monographs on UN activities and its reform, Ukraine’s participation in the UN, international relations and foreign policy.

For his impeccable diplomatic service Mr. Kuchinsky has been awarded with the State Order of Ukraine “For Merit”, the Order of St. Volodymyr of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and numerous honorary decrees of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Parliament and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Mr. Kuchinsky holds a post-graduate degree in international relations from T. Shevchenko Kyiv State University and a Diploma from Moscow Diplomatic Academy.