Ernesto Zedillo is Director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization; Professor in the Field of International Economics and Politics; Professor of International and Area Studies; and Professor Adjunct of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. He served as President of Mexico from 1994 to 2000. In 2016 Ernesto Zedillo has joined the Aurora Prize Selection Committee.
 

What do you think about the Aurora Prize – has it been successful so far? How does it influence the humanitarian situation in the world?

I think the Aurora Prize is an enormously important initiative for many reasons. One, because, of course, it recognizes people and organizations for their humanitarian work. But equally or more importantly because it reminds us, as we speak or as we decide who wins this recognition, that terrible tragedies still take place in our world.

If you ask me, I wish there was no need to have the Aurora Prize. It would be great if we didn't have this reason to get together. Sadly, unfortunately, there are many reasons to get together, we have to inquire 'who is who' in humanitarian work and to decide whose activities, initiatives, projects or work must be recognized.

I think this is extremely important, because these tragedies are not accidents of life, these tragedies are happening because somebody with a lot of power in not just one place, but in many places is failing humanity. And I think we have to convey that message. Yes, it is about recognizing the great people that do the humanitarian work, but it's also to remind ourselves that this shouldn't be happening. It's happening because somebody is fighting for power, somebody is abusing power, somebody is using any excuse to violently attack the others. And it is unacceptable, it should have been always unacceptable, but in the 21st century it shouldn't be happening.

What is the most pressing humanitarian issue in the world at this moment?

Sadly, there is not just one. This is very, very sad. I wish I could tell you there is one big issue. No, we have too many big issues, because, of course, we have the dramatic situation in Syria, we have the dramatic situation in Sudan, we have the dramatic situation in South Sudan, we have so many crises that are happening at the same time. And that is why today we have a record number of people displaced, of refugees in the world. Millions and millions of people are having enormous suffering because of these conflicts and that's unacceptable.  

Who is best positioned to solve these issues?

I would say that this is the job for everybody. But I would also say that first and foremost the responsibility is on the great powers that shouldn’t use other countries as chessboard for games and I think that is what's happening in many cases. They take countries as platforms to fight, to have these proxy wars. So they should take responsibility. They are the same who also undermine the multilateral institutions that are there to solve controversies and to address conflicts. So, they should support multilateral institutions more. And, of course, civil society plays an enormous role. Unfortunately, the role they play means their voices are heard only when they provide humanitarian support. I think they should also be heard when it comes to conflict prevention. All that good will should be heard, so that whoever is responsible for these conflicts do more to avoid them.