Date: 12/03/2009

Source: United Nations

Title: UN: Ban: Opening remarks by the United Nations secretary-general at a press conference in New York

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great pleasure to see you today. I think we have much to discuss.

As you know, U.S. President Obama and I met in Washington on Tuesday. It was an extremely encouraging first meeting, both in substance and in spirit. That it should come so early is a strong signal of the new administration's commitment to the United Nations and its cause.

Speaking personally, I would like to say that new President Obama is an enormously engaged and visionary leader. I am confident he will bring to the international arena the same ambition and appetite for bold measures that he is bringing to U.S. affairs. Our discussions were wide-ranging, and we found considerable common ground.

On climate change, we agree. It is an existential threat. We know what we must do.

President Obama and I share a fundamental commitment: 2009 must be the year of climate change. That means reaching a comprehensive agreement in Copenhagen by year's end.

Climate change also dominated my discussions with U.S. congressional leaders. Among them: Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Congressman Howard Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; and Congressman Edward Markey, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, as well as many members of their important committees.

With U.S. leadership, in partnership with the United Nations, we can and will reach a climate change deal that all nations can embrace.

On the economic crisis: President Obama and I agree that the world's poorest and most vulnerable people cannot be left behind.

I have since spoken with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who will act as Chairman of the G20 summit meeting, and he shares also this UN priority. We will press this issue at the upcoming G-20 summit in London.

President Obama and I further agreed that "green" investments must be a major part of any global stimulus plan. If we are going to spend such tremendous sums of money, let us be smart about it.

We had a lengthy discussion about Sudan, particularly the acute humanitarian situation caused by the Sudanese government's decision to expel 13 international NGOs. I have called on the Sudanese government to reverse this decision. And I do so again today.

The concern of the United Nations in Sudan has always been, and will remain, peace and the well-being of the country's people. For millions of Sudanese, these NGOs are a lifeline. They must be allowed to do their work. And of course, we must continue to push the peace process.

We discussed several other important regional issues, among them, Haiti.

As you know, I visited earlier this week with former President Bill Clinton. We saw people living in desperate poverty. We saw a country still struggling to recover from last year's hurricanes, as well as decades of dictatorship.

Yet we also saw opportunity. The United States has given Haiti duty-free and quota-free access to the American market for the next nine years. We can build on this. It is a golden opportunity to bring in investors and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

We can make a big difference in Haiti, President Obama told me, even with relatively small investments.

At the upcoming donor's conference in Washington, I expect the Haitian government to present a focused, prioritized national plan for reducing poverty and spurring economic development. Let us throw open this new window of opportunity. Let us help Haiti lift itself from darkness into light.

Second, Afghanistan. On March 31st, I will open an international conference hosted by the Government of the Netherlands.

As you know, the security situation continues to deteriorate. Elections are coming up. Afghanistan is at another crossroads. This conference offers an opportunity to define a common way forward. I welcome the fresh thinking and focus by the new U.S. administration. But any military surge, I emphasized to President Obama, must be accompanied by a political surge.

Third, Africa and the Middle East.

During my trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, two weeks ago, I saw first-hand the progress we have made on the ground. Our job now is to consolidate those gains, and to allow millions of people to return to their homes and live in peace.

In Somalia, we can see clear progress, even though the political and security situation remains precarious.

Finally, President Obama and I agreed on the need for an urgent push on the Middle East. In Sharm el-Sheikh, donors at the meeting on Gaza reconstruction made large pledges, well beyond what was anticipated. The world has sent a clear message of solidarity to the Palestinian people. We must turn this support not only into recovery for the people of Gaza, but also into a revitalized peace process in the Middle East and between the Palestinians.

In closing, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me just say a few words about a misunderstanding that has made news yesterday.

Speaking with a group of members of the House of Representatives, I noted how generous the United States has been in supporting the UN, both in terms of assessed and voluntary contributions. At the same time, I noted that the United States is also the largest debtor, owing more than $1 billion in arrears, soon to reach $1.6 billion. My point was simply that the United Nations needs the fullest support of its members, and never more so than in these very demanding times.