Spindelegger: „The right man at the helm of the UN“
Foreign Minister congratulates Ban Ki-moon for his unanimous re-election as UN Secretary General
Vienna, 22 June 2011 – „I cordially congratulate the Secretary General for his re-election and I am very glad that, for another five years, the United Nations will be led by someone who has fully committed himself to the objectives of the UN: the preservation of peace and security, compliance with human rights and international law, the protection of civilians, and the fight against poverty and climate change“, said Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger on the occasion of Ban Ki-moon's re-election by the UN General Assembly.
Many of the recent successes of the international community have been achieved with the active contribution of the UN Secretary General, but there will be more challenges for him in the coming years, stressed the Foreign Minister. „The sweeping changes in the Arab world, the nuclear accident in Fukushima, piracy off the coast of Somalia, or the bloody unrest in the Ivory Coast have clearly demonstrated to us that today's challenges cannot be met single-handedly by any individual state.“ More than ever before, the United Nations is in demand as a mediator and problem solver - under the guidance of the current Secretary General: „The unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly is a clear sign of confidence by the 192 member states toward Ban Ki-moon, who also happens to be a great friend of Austria. I am convinced that he is the right man to shoulder this great responsibility“.
Ban Ki-moon has been UN Secretary General since 2007. On 21 June, he was re-elected by the General Assembly until 2016 upon the proposal of the UN Security Council.
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