He may
have been called a "dilettante on the international stage" and "the world's most dangerous Korean" by Jacob Heilbrunn in the most recent issue of
FP, but it seems that lots of people still like Ban Ki-moon. A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll has the secretary-general coming in second only to Barack Obama in how much he is trusted around the world:
The UN Secretary General generally receives better ratings than most
other world leaders who are heads of nations. On average his
evaluations across the 20 nations are positive (40% to 35%) and 11
nations express confidence, seven do not, and two are divided. This
places him second among the leaders studied, below Obama, but slightly
above Merkel.
Views of Ban Ki-moon are particularly positive in Africa and in Asia
- nearly all Asian nations give him positive confidence scores led by
South Korea (90%). Indonesia is an exception: views are divided. Large
majorities in both Kenya (70%) and Nigeria (69%) express confidence in
him.
Countries polled in Western Europe have confidence in the Secretary
General, including Britain, Germany, and France, but Poland and Russia
do not, and Ukraine is divided. A majority of Americans (57%) report
little confidence in him, while Mexico leans toward having confidence
(38% to 33%.)
You don't have to go as far as Heilbrunn to argue that this is a bit much. It's pretty doubtful that most of those saying they trust believe in Ban can explain what he has accomplished. Even the S-G's defender's acknowledge that many of his main accomplishments received little fanfare or media coverage. Indeed the very fact that he hasn't been all that outspoken on many issues (or doesn't get enough media coverage, depending on your point of view) means that he hasn't given people much cause to form a negative opion of him.
On the other hand, as Boonstra notes, "Coming in second behind Barack Obama -- whose public speaking, I think
we can agree, is a little more inspirational -- is not too shabby for
the South Korean." Give the guy his due.
AFP/Getty Images
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