U.N. chief outlines 8 priorities for 2011
Jan. 18, 2011
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on Friday outlined a set of eight priorities he hopes the international body will tackle in the coming year, ranging from promoting a safer world to continuing to press for nuclear disarmament.
''If 2010 was a challenging year for the United Nations, 2011 will be even more so,'' the U.N. chief said at a press conference after the day's General Assembly meeting. ''Our challenge is to keep up the momentum.''
At the General Assembly meeting, he referred to the headway made last year in fields such as climate change and nuclear disarmament -- two of the priority areas.
''We will endeavor to ensure ratification of the treaty completely banning nuclear tests,'' he told the 192 member states. ''And we will redouble our efforts to settle issues concerning nuclear security and nuclear terrorism.''
Also among the top agenda items were promoting human rights and improving the response to major humanitarian crises, such as those seen in the Haitian earthquake and the severe flooding in Pakistan.
''We must do more to ensure the most effective use of resources and the most efficient management of a truly global response to crises,'' he said in his speech to the General Assembly.
Ban is also concerned about taking action on sustainable development in the midst of a global recession where people are worried about job security and their futures.
Aiming to build a ''safer and more secure world'' means ensuring democracy in places like the Ivory Coast, where Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to step down as president after defeat in elections amid a deteriorating political and security situation.
Ban pledged to protect the legitimately elected president, Alassane Ouattara, and proposed reinforcing the ground mission in the country.
Also of concern is the situation in Sudan where voting on the referendum in South Sudan is so far proceeding ''smoothly.''
''The biggest challenge lies before us,'' Ban told reporters. ''We must help all Sudanese, north and south, chart their common future.''
With the creation of a new agency, U.N. Women, he also highlighted the fact that under his leadership he has appointed more women to senior positions than ever before and planned to increase the presence of women at the mid-career level.
He also promised to help build a more efficient, transparent and mobile United Nations.
''As I have often said, in today's complicated and complex world, progress does not always come overnight,'' he told the General Assembly. ''It comes in steps -- some may be bigger than others. But the key is to keep moving forward -- with unrelenting determination, with dogged diplomacy.''
(Distributed by Kyodo News on Jan. 14, 2011)
''If 2010 was a challenging year for the United Nations, 2011 will be even more so,'' the U.N. chief said at a press conference after the day's General Assembly meeting. ''Our challenge is to keep up the momentum.''
At the General Assembly meeting, he referred to the headway made last year in fields such as climate change and nuclear disarmament -- two of the priority areas.
''We will endeavor to ensure ratification of the treaty completely banning nuclear tests,'' he told the 192 member states. ''And we will redouble our efforts to settle issues concerning nuclear security and nuclear terrorism.''
Also among the top agenda items were promoting human rights and improving the response to major humanitarian crises, such as those seen in the Haitian earthquake and the severe flooding in Pakistan.
''We must do more to ensure the most effective use of resources and the most efficient management of a truly global response to crises,'' he said in his speech to the General Assembly.
Ban is also concerned about taking action on sustainable development in the midst of a global recession where people are worried about job security and their futures.
Aiming to build a ''safer and more secure world'' means ensuring democracy in places like the Ivory Coast, where Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to step down as president after defeat in elections amid a deteriorating political and security situation.
Ban pledged to protect the legitimately elected president, Alassane Ouattara, and proposed reinforcing the ground mission in the country.
Also of concern is the situation in Sudan where voting on the referendum in South Sudan is so far proceeding ''smoothly.''
''The biggest challenge lies before us,'' Ban told reporters. ''We must help all Sudanese, north and south, chart their common future.''
With the creation of a new agency, U.N. Women, he also highlighted the fact that under his leadership he has appointed more women to senior positions than ever before and planned to increase the presence of women at the mid-career level.
He also promised to help build a more efficient, transparent and mobile United Nations.
''As I have often said, in today's complicated and complex world, progress does not always come overnight,'' he told the General Assembly. ''It comes in steps -- some may be bigger than others. But the key is to keep moving forward -- with unrelenting determination, with dogged diplomacy.''
(Distributed by Kyodo News on Jan. 14, 2011)
