Olara A.Otunu

Olara A. Otunnu is the President of LBL Foundation for Children, a New York-based independent international organization [501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status] devoted to promoting education and hope for children, particularly in poor, disadvantaged, and post-conflict communities. Since his selection in 2006 by a worldwide network (WCPRC) of over 12 million children, he also is serving as the first World’s Children’s Ombudsman.  Mr. Otunnu is widely acclaimed for his leadership, vision, innovation, courage, and extensive contributions in several fields, particularly: international security; conflict management; human rights and humanitarian action; role and reform of the United Nations; development issues; the future of Africa; and the protection of children exposed to war. 


Born in Mucwini , among the Chua people of the Central Luo , Mr. Otunnu received his early education at Mvara, Mucwini and Anaka primary schools.  He received his secondary education at Gulu High School and King's College Budo. He then attended Makerere University (where he was president of the Students' Guild), Oxford University (where he was Overseas Scholar) and Harvard Law School (where he was Fulbright Scholar). A lawyer by training, he was Associate at the law firm of Chadbourne and Parke in New York, prior to becoming Assistant Professor of Law at Albany Law School.

 

From 1998 to 2005, Mr. Otunnu served as the UN Under-Secretary General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. In that capacity he led the international campaign to develop and mobilize international action on behalf of children exposed to war, serving as advocate and moral voice for them, promoting measures for their protection in times of war and for their healing and social reintegration in the aftermath of conflict.

 

He is the architect of the ground-breaking compliance mechanism for the protection of children, adopted by the UN Security Council (Resolution 1612) in July 2005. Mr. Otunnu served as President of the International Peace Academy (now IPI) from 1990 to 1998. IPI is an international institution dedicated to promoting the prevention and settlement of armed conflict between and within states. Mr. Otunnu served as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uganda from 1985 to 1986; at this time he played a key role in the Uganda peace talks which culminated in the Nairobi Peace Agreement of December 1985. Subsequently, he returned to academia. From 1987 to 1989, he was affiliated with the Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI) as Visiting Fellow, and with the American University in Paris as Visiting Professor. 

From 1980 to 1985, Mr. Otunnu served as Uganda's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations. During his tenure, he was one of the most active and respected representatives at the UN, providing leadership in key roles, including: as President of the Security Council (1981), as Vice-President of the General Assembly (1982-1983); as Chairman of the General Assembly Credentials Committee (1983-1984), Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Ministerial Meeting of Non-Aligned Movement (1983); and as Chairman of the Contact Group on Global Negotiations (1982-1983). 

 

Mr. Otunnu has served as a member of several eminent international commissions, including: Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict (1994 to 1997); Commission on Global Governance (1992-1995); International Panel on Management and Decision-Making in the United Nations (1986-1987); Group on Rethinking International Governance (1986-1990); United Nations Group of Experts on New Concepts of International Security (1984-1985); Commonwealth Group of Experts Study Group on the Security of Small States (1984-1985); International Task Force on Security Council Peace Enforcement and Regional Security Steering Committee of International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. He is a member of the Club of Rome. Mr. Otunnu has been very active in many civic organizations. He currently serves on the boards of several prominent organizations, including: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace;  Aspen Institute; International Selection Commission of the Philadelphia Liberty Medal; Aspen France; International Peace Academy; Jury for the Conrad Hilton Humanitarian Prize; Jury for the John P. McNulty Prize; and Patron for the World's Children's Prize.  

 

Previously, Mr Otunnu has served on the boards of Carnegie Corporation of New York; Hampshire College; Makerere University Council ; International Crisis Group (ICG) ; International Advisory Council of International Committee of the Red Cross ; Council of African Advisers of the World Bank ; International Patrons of the Refugee Studies Programme at Oxford University ; Aspen Italia; and the Advisory Committee of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).  

In the 1970s, as president of Makerere Students' Guild and later as Secretary-General of Uganda Freedom Union, Mr. Otunnu played a leading role in the resistance against the regime of Idi Amin. At the Moshi Unity Conference on Uganda (1979), Mr. Otunnu was elected to serve as a member of the Uganda National Consultative Council, the interim administration in the post-Amin period (1979-1980).

Mr. Otunnu has received several major International awards, in recognition of his extensive and diverse contribution, including German Africa Prize (2002); Sydney Peace Prize (2005); Global Award for Outstanding Contribution to Human Rights (India, 2006); Harvard Law School Association Award (2007); and Distinguished Service Award, awarded by the United Nations Association of USA (2001)