Oral history interview with Juan Somavía, 2001

Biographical Note

Director-General of International Labour Organization

Scope and Contents

Background and childhood: born in Britain to diplomat father, 1941, various childhood homes: Dominican Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, United States, Ecuador; education: Catholic University of Chile, University of Paris; career: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade [GATT] Kennedy Round, 1966, ambassador and advisor to Chilean foreign minister on regional and multilateral issues, 1968-73, founder executive-director and president of Latin American Institute for Transnational Studies, 1976-1990, South American Peace Commission, 1985-, permanent representative to the United Nations [UN], 1990-99, chair, World Summit for Social Development, 1995, president of Economic and Social Council [ECOSOC], 1993-94, 1998-99, president of Security Council, 1996, 1997, chair, board of UN Research Institute for Social Development [UNRISD], 1996-99; themes: living in various countries during childhood leading to greater understanding of multiculturalism and respect, trade development and regional integration of Latin America, reminiscences of military coup d'etat in Chile, human rights struggles, inability of UN to mobilize new ideas, impacts of global conferences on economic and social issues, UN prioritization of issues, effects of Cold War on conflict management in UN, recommendations for ECOSOC reform, unemployment, development of "decent work" concept in International Labour Organization [ILO], family reminiscences, colleague reminiscences

Subjects

• Chile--History--Coup d'état, 1973.
• Cold War.
• Economic development--Latin America.
• Human rights.
• International Labour Organisation.
• Interviews
• Labor policy.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Somavía, Juan--Interviews.
• United Nations--History.
• United Nations--Officials and employees--Interviews.
• United Nations. Economic and Social Council.
• Weiss, Thomas G. (Thomas George), 1946- interviewer.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, 2002