BRAZIL: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon pledges to maintain efforts on climate change, nuclear disarmament and other issues if he is elected for a second term

Record ID: 560879

  • Title: BRAZIL: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon pledges to maintain efforts on climate change, nuclear disarmament and other issues if he is elected for a second term
  • Date: 18th June 2011
  • Summary: BRASILIA, BRAZIL (JUNE 17, 2011) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON, ARRIVING IN NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM BAN GREETING REPORTERS GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE CLOSE OF BAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON, SAYING: "All these ongoing agendas are top priorities which I have been dealing with: that is, sustainable development and climate change and gender empowerment, to realize that this world is free of nuclear weapons and also to help many sick people through mobilizing political and financial support and promoting the global strategy for maternal and children's health." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL, BAN KI-MOON, SAYING: "You are promoting South to South cooperation. This is a very important aspect of realizing economic cooperation between and among more countries. Traditionally, it has been from North to South, from developed to developing world. Now with the status of middle-income or high-middle income countries, they are now looking to others in the developing world; this is a very commendable area." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE BAN LEAVING BAN GREETING REPORTERS
  • Embargoed: 3rd July 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil, Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3JFMJKFH9Y9C2SQ4CZ57WXGXP
  • Story Text: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday (June 17) that if confirmed for a second term, he would broadly continue the ongoing agenda in a number of social and environmental issues.
    The Security Council unanimously recommended on Friday that Ban be re-elected for the top U.N. job, virtually assuring the South Korean diplomat of five more years in office.
    Ban was visiting Brazil on Friday and said in a statement that he was "deeply honored" by the council's vote.
    At a news conference in the capital Brasilia, he pledged to keep fighting for the environment and women, as well as working to strengthen U.N. humanitarian aid capacity.
    "All these ongoing agendas are top priorities which I have been dealing with: that is, sustainable development and climate change and gender empowerment, to realize that this world is free of nuclear weapons and also to help many sick people through mobilizing political and financial support and promoting the global strategy for maternal and children's health," he said.
    The 192-nation General Assembly is planning to meet on Tuesday (June 21) to formally reappoint 67-year-old Ban to a second term of office beginning on January 1, diplomats said.
    Ban also said that promoting better relations between developed and emerging countries was a key issue.
    "You are promoting South to South cooperation. This is a very important aspect of realizing economic cooperation between and among more countries. Traditionally, it has been from North to South, from developed to developing world. Now with the status of middle-income or high-middle income countries, they are now looking to others in the developing world; this is a very commendable area," he told reporters.
    U.N. diplomats see Ban as a tireless worker and inveterate globe-trotter, but say his tenure so far has a mixed record on the issues he has championed.
    Global U.N.-led negotiations on climate change have made little progress, and the U.N. role in combating world poverty has been challenged by the rise of the Group of 20 nations.
    On the other hand, Ban has won praise for his encouragement of the "Arab Spring" of pro-democracy movements that has swept the Middle East and North Africa, and his personal exhortations to the region's autocratic rulers not to use force against protests.
    Ban was in Brazil as part of his Latin America tour as he looks to garner support for his bid to be re-elected to head the international body.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register