The Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-moon on Monday asked member nations to be united in their approach towards global challenges.
Mr Ban Ki Moon made the call while addressing the 70th United Nations General Assembly holding New York, USA.
Ban Ki-moon set the stage for 70th General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly with a call to “translate promises on paper to action on the ground” by backing a bold new sustainability agenda that aims to wipe out poverty and build a sustainable future for all.
“Our aim is clear. Our mission is possible. And our destination is in our sights: an end to extreme poverty by 2030; a life of peace and dignity for all,” the Secretary-General declared.
“I welcome the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the renewed by developing countries to invest 0.07 national gross income in official development assistance.
I salute those that have (done that) and urge others to follow their example” adding that “Climate finance will be crucial and I urge developed countries to meet the agreed call of $100 billion”, he said.
The Secretary General also maintained that “we must also get the Green Climate Funds up and running as the world continues to squander trillions of dollars in wasteful military spending”, wondering why “it is easier to find money to destroy people and planet than it is to protect them?
“Succeeding generations are depending on us to get our priorities right” adding that “suffering today is at heights not seen in a generation”, he said, explaining that “one hundred million people require humanitarian assistance. At least 60 million people have been forced to flee their homes or their countries.
“The United Nations has asked for nearly $20 billion to meet this year’s needs – six times the level of a decade ago. UN humanitarian agencies and our partners are braving difficult conditions to reach people. Member States have been generous, but demands continue to dwarf funding,” said the Secretary-General, urging all countries to do more to alleviate suffering in countries across the world, where one in four children suffers from stunting, and the UN appeal “has been met with silence.
