Activities of Secretary-General in Brazil, 15-18 June

 

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, together with his wife, Madam Ban Soon-taek, having arrived from Uruguay, began an official visit to Brazil on the evening of Wednesday, 15 June.

The Secretary-General’s first appointment on the morning of Thursday, 16 June, was at a townhall meeting with United Nations staff serving in Brazil.

He then met with Foreign Minister Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, followed by an official lunch hosted by the Foreign Minister in the Secretary-General’s honour.

This was followed by a joint press stakeout, where the Secretary-General told reporters that he discussed the cooperation between the United Nations and Brazil with the Foreign Minister in the areas of world peace, regional integration, and the promotion of human rights, among others.

The Secretary-General met with civil society institutions before holding talks with Marco Maia, President of the Chamber of Deputies, and José Sarney, President of the Senate.

That evening, the Secretary-General met with President Dilma Rousseff.  He noted that she will be the first woman in the history of the United Nations to open the General Assembly’s annual high-level general debate this year.  He also expressed appreciation for Brazil’s efforts to promote regional integration and South-South cooperation, as well as for the President’s leadership in the arena of disarmament.

The day ended with the Secretary-General attending a reception in his and Madam Ban’s honour, hosted by the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Brazil and heads of United Nations agencies.  The event was also attended by the diplomatic corps and Brazilian United Nations Goodwill Ambassadors.

The following morning, Friday, 17 June, the Secretary-General met with Teresa Campelo, Minister of Social Development, and Izabella Teixeira, Minister of Environment.

He then learned that the Security Council had unanimously voted to recommend him for a second term as Secretary-General.

The Secretary-General took part in a round-table interview with international and Brazilian journalists and a television interview with the Brazilian television network Globo before wrapping up his visit on the evening of 17 June.

He returned to New York on the morning of Saturday, 18 June.

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For information media • not an official record