![]() I started school in Canada, and Canada at that time was still very, very much a part of the British Commonwealth and the whole ethos that went with it. ![]() SO: Indeed, he would have been! I know that Sonny Ramphal was also disappointed not to have been appointed Secretary General of the UN.ĭS: Okay, right. Needless to say, he was very disappointed. SO: When was it realised that this wasn’t quite the gentleman they had in mind?ĭS: Well, I think that after the introductions had been made, the penny dropped. He was renowned for his bright red socks! Ramphul said, “What’s it in connection with?” “Well, we’re interested in speaking to people about being candidates for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations.” You can imagine his delight! But, unfortunately, they got it wrong and instead of inviting Sonny Ramphal to this interview they invited a guy called ‘ Ramphul’, who was the very flamboyant representative of Mauritius, at the time. So, she asked her staff to set up an appointment with Sonny Ramphal. Jeane Kirkpatrick – who was, at that time, the Ambassador of the United States to the UNO – had heard of this guy Sonny Ramphal, and thought he might be a good candidate. When I was at the United Nations, after the very reluctant departure of Kurt Waldheim, everybody was casting about for a new Secretary General. I wonder if you could begin by saying, please … H aving been born in Kenya then educated in Canada, did you form a particular view of the Commonwealth as a boy and young man?ĭS: Before I do that, I’d just like to start with a story about Sonny Ramphal. Dave, thank you very much indeed for agreeing to talk to me. SO: This is Dr Sue Onslow interviewing Mr Dave Steward in Cape Town on a very wet Wednesday, 17 th April 2013. Managing Director, Canopus Consultancies, 1997. Executive Director of the FW de Klerk Foundation, 1999. Director-General, Office of the South African President, 1992-94. Head, South African Communication Service, 1986-92. Policy Adviser on Southwest Africa/Namibia/Angola, 1983-85. Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, 1981-82. Joined the South African Department of Foreign Affairs in 1966. Educated at the University of Stellenbosch, 1962-65.
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