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Ki-moon Prioritises Sustainable Devt, Poverty Reduction
18.08.2011     Views: 271   

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http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ki-moon-prioritises-sustainable-devt-poverty-reduction/96632/

 

The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, has revealed that sustainable development will remain his top priority during his second term as the head of the global body

 

He also said that key challenges include achieving the global poverty reduction goals and strengthening disaster risk reduction to avert crises caused by climate change, according to a UN release.

The General Assembly in June agreed to appoint Mr. Ban to a second consecutive term as Secretary-General.

"Since my re-election, I have been consulting widely with Member States and the full range of UN partners on what they see as the great challenges going forward," Mr. Ban told members of the diplomatic corps in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea. "Looking to the longer horizon, sustainable development is at the top of my list of priorities," he said.

The scribe also stated that global and regional security and democratisation challenges will also feature prominently on his agenda. "We are supporting the transitions that are under way in Egypt and Tunisia, and are deeply engaged in the diplomatic efforts aimed at a solution to the conflict in Libya."

However, he pointed out that the most immediate concern was the humanitarian crisis brought on by the severe drought in the Horn of Africa, which has led to famine in several areas of Somalia and made an estimated 12.4 million people in the wider region dependent on food aid.

"As we respond to this emergency, we also need to deal with the underlying causes. Today's drought may be the worst in decades, but with the effects of climate change being increasingly felt throughout the world, it surely will not be the last," said Mr. Ban, adding that long-term solutions would require the development of drought-resistant seeds, irrigation, rural infrastructure and livestock programmes.

The Secretary-General emphasised that in an era of budgetary constraints, the UN must continue to fulfil its mandates with the resources available. "That means continuing our efforts to 'deliver as one'," he said.

He emphasized the importance of partnerships between governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the private sector, philanthropists and academic community for global common causes.

"We saw a powerful example of this in the 'Every Woman Every Child' initiative on maternal and child health. We must extend this model to other challenges," the Secretary-General said.

"Many people are suffering and dying from HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis - all these are preventable diseases," he said. "If they have medicine, if they have access to sanitation, they can be saved."