Celebrating 25 Years of Scoop
Ban Ki-moon: We Must Face Challenges Together
New York, Nov 5 2009
No country, however, powerful, can tackle alone the multiple challenges facing the world, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, stressing the need to work together on issues such as climate change, the economic crisis and global peace and security.
“We
are all in this together. And we must act together,” Mr.
Ban said in his (http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=643)
remarks to the Hellenic Parliament, becoming the first UN
Secretary-General to address the body.
“That is why
I say it is time for renewed multilateralism – a
multilateralism that delivers for real people in real
time,” he added.
Mr. Ban, who wrapped up his
two-day visit to Athens today, highlighted climate change as
one area where countries can work together to make a
difference.
“These are crucial days,” he noted,
with only four weeks to go until the climate change
conference in Copenhagen, where countries are expected to
wrap up talks on an ambitious new agreement to tackle global
warming.
“We must have a global agreement – an
agreement which is comprehensive, balanced, equitable and
binding,” he stated.
Likewise, all members of the
international community should work together to spread
economic opportunity more widely, he said, noting that the
“clock is ticking” on the Millennium Development Goals
(http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/) – the set of
global anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline.
In
addition, united action can help strengthen global peace and
security, including in the area of disarmament, as well as
successfully address long-standing regional
concerns.
In this regard, Mr. Ban reiterated that he
is “cautiously optimistic” about prospects for a
settlement in Cyprus, noting the steady progress being made
in UN-backed talks between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot
leaders aimed at unifying the Mediterranean island.
He
said he was also encouraged by the Greek Government’s
clear endorsement of a continuing role for the UN in the
negotiations with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
in the dispute over the latter’s name.
“Now is the
time for transformational change on all of these big
issues,” said the Secretary-General. “This is our
chance. Now is our time to
act.”
ENDS
ITUC: Workers Fundamental Right To Organise Is Crucial In Combating Heat Stress
New Zealand Defence Force: NZ Army Instructors March Out With Fijian Recruits For The First Time
FAO: Urges Immediate Action As New Variants Of Avian Influenza Threaten Asia And The Pacific
Alternative Jewish Voices: Jewish Groups Call On Israeli Govt To Respect International Court Ruling & Withdraw From Occupied Palestinian Territory
The Commonwealth: Commonwealth Secretary-General To Make First Official Visit To Pakistan
Deep Sea Mining Campaign: Civil Society Groups File A Formal Complaint Against The Metals Company