CONFINTEA VI Conference - Day 3

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David Harvey, Belem, Brazil - December 3, 2009


The US delegation to CONFINTEA is led by Brenda Dann-Messier, new Assistant Secretary of Education under the Obama Administration. I was fascinated to learn how this UN meeting operates and how the US organizes its work at such meetings. Brenda, the US delegation, and US Embassy personnel in Brazil, are accompanied by a state department official and lawyer. These two individuals are key to guiding how the US is represented at CONFINTEA, advising on positions and recommendations that are consistent with overall US foreign policy of the Obama Administration.


You may be surprised to hear that based on a legal rationale, the US will not support language that asserts that adult literacy is a fundamental human right -- due to the legal meaning of this language under various treaties and US federal laws. The US will support other language that encourages "member states" to adequately fund adult literacy and basic education programs for their populations. When Brenda Dann-Messier made a motion during the opening of CONFINTEA to seek consensus wherever possible on policy position, the South African delegate objected. He believed this language could discourage open and vigorous debate and posed the question: would the US be open to a friendly amendment? Promptly, the state department lawyer went to the South African delegate and worked out compromise language. Wow. The US government in action at the UN! By the way, the US delegation has been given security briefings and encouraged to ask embassy or state department staff to accompany them if they go out sightseeing or shopping. On the other hand, the Brazilian government has dispatched government troops and special police all over Belem for CONFINTEA. I wonder if this is a bit much -- who knows? For me, I enjoyed my walk alone around the city last evening!

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