You loved him in Philadelphia, saw his performance lacking in The Mask of Zorro,  now, Antonio Banderas will take on his next role: goodwill ambassdor for the United Nations Development Program.  From the UN News Center:

Mr. Banderas will advocate for the poor and push for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight globally-agreed targets with a 2015 deadline to halve world poverty, with a focus on Africa and Latin America.

“Poverty robs us of our potential as a people, preventing us from being all that we can be,” he said, underscoring the importance of mobilizing all efforts to tackle the scourge.

Yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched a new report, entitled Keeping the Promise, in which he unveils a new action plan aimed at getting governments, civil society actors, private businesses, philanthropy and the multilateral system to act “efficiently, effectively and collectively.”

With just five years to go before the 2015 deadline, he said that progress has been uneven and without an accelerated action plan several Goals are likely to be missed in many countries.

“Despite hard economic times, despite lagging progress on many fronts, we can still achieve the Millennium Development Goals by our target date of 2015,” he told reporters at his monthly press conference in New York.

With a decade of efforts towards achieving the MDGs already under the world’s belt, “we know what works and what doesn’t,” with lessons learned on how to best utilize new technologies, national development policies and better governance, he noted.

As Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Banderas hopes to raise the profile of the MDG Achievement Fund, set up in 2006 with a $700 million contribution by Spain to accelerate progress on reaching the Goals.

My understanding is that Ban Ki Moon's introduction of Banderas went something like this:

Recently, the issue of internal brain drain in the developing world has come up on both development and economics blogs. The GiveWell blog mentions concerns that NGOs are pulling well-qualified individuals out of the private sector. Aid Thoughts and Roving Bandit take on the staff transfer from government ministries to development agencies and NGOs.

The issue is very clear to anyone who has spent time in the developing world. There is a steady stream of really good people leaving government agencies for jobs with the UN and international NGOs. That’s not surprising – UN and NGO work pays well and pays consistently. It offers opportunities for moving up, and a sense of making a difference in the world. Work for the government, on the other hand tends to be poorly paid, and not always on a regular basis. In many places it is plagued by bureaucratic incompetence and resistance to change.

As a result, the good people just keep leaving government posts for other jobs. As Aid Thoughts puts it, “When the top of that ladder ends at the UN, not the government, ambitious civil servants will feel less motivated to excel…Even when the few bright stars do bother to overachieve, they’re quickly snapped-up into the development sector.”

I think, however, that most proposed solutions are looking in the wrong direction. The problem is not that sexy UN jobs are pulling people out of government. The problem is that people are pushed out of government jobs by poor working conditions. It’s not a demand problem – it’s a supply problem. People who want to leave their government jobs will find a way to do it. If it wasn’t NGOs and the development sector pulling them out, it would be the private sector or international emigration.

Skilled personnel are ambitious and they don’t stick around in bad jobs. The issue goes beyond salary. You could force NGOs and UN agencies to reduce their salaries to government levels, but government work would still be boring and unsatisfying.

If you look at it that way, the solution is to build government capacities and make government work meaningful. Rather than trying to restrict opportunities outside the government, give the best people a reason to stay. Not an easy thing to achieve, it’s true. But a lot more humane than refusing them the right to chose their employment or trying to make all employment options equally bad.

Image: Flickr user lapolab

The top UN official in Haiti traveled to UN headquarters for the first time in eight weeks and briefed the press on Haiti recovery efforts.  Here are some (paraphrased) highlights from the briefing.  You can watch for yourself via UN webcast

-Non-MINUSTAH troops (i.e. American, Jamaican, and Canadian troops that were invited by the Haitian government to help with post-earthquake efforts) are beginning to leave.  Mullet says that security in many IDP camps will, no doubt, be hard to maintain. Rape and violence against women are a particular concern.  The challenge, he says, is that there are around 900 different IDP camps in scattered all over Port au Prince and its been difficulty to provide security in all those places.  The idea is to consolidate many of the IDP camps so that security--and other services--can be better delivered.  He acknowledged, however, that there's a concern that by consolidating these camps the groundwork may be laid for creating vast new slums. This is something that the UN and the Haitian government are striving to avoid. 

-While there has been progress in areas like food and water distribution, shelter and sanitation remain a very dire concern.  They still lack sufficient number of tents--and the rainy season is fast approaching. 

-Mullet said the UN puts the total death count at 220,000 at the very least, but echoed that we may never know the full number.

Meanwhile, the United Nations held a memorial service today for 101 UN staffers who lost their lives during the Haiti earthquake.  Full biographies of the deceased UN workers were compiled by their colleagues and posted to this site. 

Here were Ban's remarks.

Excellencies,

Dear colleagues,

Dear friends,

Above all, dear families of those to whom we sadly bid farewell:

Let us begin by thanking the families and friends who have traveled far to be with us. To those who could not be here, please know that our hearts are with you.

We are joined by duty stations around the world — the men and women of our proud United Nations.

Among them are the members of our UN mission in Haiti, who have carried on despite their pain and hardship.

I thank Mr. Edmond Mulet and his courageous staff who are working tirelessly - day in, day out – in MINUSTAH [UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti]. I highly commend [you] and I am deeply grateful to all of you.

Today, we commemorate the single greatest loss the UN has suffered in its history.

We remember 101 lives of consequence.

We honor 101 unique paths that joined in Haiti to write the larger story of the United Nations.

These women and men were our own. They were family.

They came to Haiti from all corners of the world, from all walks of life.

Yet they shared a common conviction … a belief in a better future for the people of Haiti, and a common resolve to help them build it.

Now those 101 paths come together one final time, here in this chamber, through us … families and friends, colleagues and loved ones.

The world knew them as trusted diplomats, dedicated humanitarians and conscientious professionals.

They were doctors and drivers, police officers and policy advisers, soldiers and lawyers — each contributing to the mission, each in his or her own way.

To us they were even more.

We knew them, very personally. We knew their smiles, their songs, their dreams.

Now we cannot forget the last email, the last conversation, the last meal together, the last au revoir.

Their words echo: "Don't worry about me. This is where I need to be."

At the United Nations, we don't simply share office space; we share a passion for a better world.

So it is no surprise that many of these 101 paths criss-crossed the globe through the years.

In Cambodia and the DRC. Eritrea and East Timor. Kosovo and Sierra Leone.

Whether they came to Haiti … or came from Haiti … they knew that hope shines in even the darkest corners.

And so they chased the flame. Wherever they went, they carried the light of hope.

And as they fulfilled their mission in Haiti, they illuminated a profound truth:

Earthquakes are a force of nature, but people move the world.

Today, our hearts are heavy with a burden almost too difficult to bear.

Yet perhaps like you, it is gratitude that I feel most of all.

Gratitude to the international community for the spontaneous, whole-hearted and unstinting support in the face of this tragedy.

Gratitude to the rescue teams, aid workers, governments and NGOs [Non-Governmental Organizations] that rallied to our side, determined to help Haiti to recover and, in time, to “build back better.”

Gratitude to the people of Haiti, for their strength, resilience and faith … the faith of human spirit, the spirit that burns in all of us today.

I commend and appreciate the leadership of President [René] Preval and his Government and his people

Gratitude fills this chamber — profound thanks that our world and our lives were touched by the grace and nobility of these 101 UN heroes.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In life, we are measured by the company we keep.

To those here today, let us know that this is our measure. This is the company we keep.

To those we have lost, let us say: we will never forget you. We will carry on your work.

In a moment we will read out their names … the roll call of highest honor.

Look at their pictures. Look into their eyes. Remember their smiles and their dreams.

Together we stand … in honor of the victims … and in deepest sympathy for the bereaved.

May I now ask you to rise and join me in a minute of silence. Thank you.

As Matt noted, reigning Idol champ Kris Allen traveled to Haiti last week with UN Foundation CEO Kathy Calvin to visit the relief efforts.  (Recall: We posted some exclusive video of that trip.)  Well, Thursday night, on Fox at 8pm EST (7 Central) you can see more from the Haiti trip when Idol airs a special episode dedicated to Haiti. 

The UN Foundation is organizing some virtual watch parties and has other resources for Idol fans and everyone else who wants to help the UN help Haiti.   Don't miss the action!

UPDATE: 100% of the proceeds from Itunes downloads of Allen's rendition of "Let it Be" will go to the UN's Haiti relief efforts.