UN's Ban Ki-moon commits to support Uganda's presidency

Apr 11, 2014

Africa's candidate for the Presidency of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly Sam Kutesa has met the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has assured him of his full support.

By Vision Reporter

Africa's candidate for the Presidency of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly Sam Kutesa has met the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has assured him of his full support. 
 
Kutesa, Uganda's Minister of Foreign Affairs  attended a High Level meeting on Wednesday  on the “role of partnerships in the Post-2015 Development Agenda”.
 
In his address, he emphasized the importance and role partnerships, such as with the private sector, in developing physical infrastructure as a way of speeding up realisation of MDGs and paving way for the new development agenda.
 
The United Nations Secretary-General welcomed his efforts to hold consultations in New York and reiterated his readiness to support the Presidency especially in his task in making a difference in people’s lives by pushing a transformative agenda.
 
Having been endorsed by the African Union as its candidate for the Presidency of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Minister, while in New York, had a series of meetings with Senior United Nations Officials, regional groupings and Member States on the priorities during the upcoming session. 
The African Union Executive Council, composed of African Ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs, last year unanimously endorsed  Kutesa’s candidacy.
 
The endorsement followed a decision by the Government of Cameroon to withdraw its candidate, Foreign minister, Pierre Moukoko, who was also vying for the position, in favour of Uganda's candidate.  
 
Cameroon's decision to withdraw was based on the need to further promote the friendly relations existing between the two countries, as well as maintaining African solidarity for international posts and positions.
 
It will be recalled that, it will be the turn of Africa to provide the president to the United Nations General Assembly for the 69th Session, based on the principle of geographical rotation. 
 
This endorsement therefore means Kutesa will be elected by acclamation by the United Nations General Assembly during elections to be held on June 17 2014.
 
In his consultations this week, the Minister underscored the need for  the Post-2015 Development Agenda to be transformative inclusive and address poverty eradication in all its forms,  and also address climate change.
 
The Minister pledged his readiness  to positively engage with the wider United Nations Membership on these and other priorities.
 
Kutesa  also held consultative meetings with John W. Ashe, President of the on-going 68th Session; Jan Eliasson, Deputy Secretary-General; regional groups, including the African Group; Asia and Pacific Group; Eastern European Group; Group and Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC); and Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG). 
 
He held further meetings with Chairpersons of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. He will continue to consult other major stakeholders and groups in due course.
 

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