Activities of Secretary-General in Luxembourg, 21–22 June

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon flew on Sunday, 21 June, from New York to Luxembourg, to participate in a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the European Union.

Upon arrival in Luxembourg on Monday, 22 June, the Secretary-General had an audience with His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, with whom he reviewed the state-of-play in the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda.  The Secretary-General thanked Luxembourg for its strong and continuous commitment to development aid and for its assistance to United Nations activities in Mali and the Central African Republic.

He also met with Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, with whom he discussed in-depth the priorities for Luxembourg’s forthcoming Presidency of the European Union's Council, and with Mars Di Bartolomeo, President of the Parliament of Luxembourg.

The Secretary-General then participated in a working luncheon with the European Union Ministers of Foreign Affairs, hosted by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.

He raised the importance of a strong United Nations-European Union partnership, the challenge of migration, the threat of violent extremism, and the crucial opportunity this year to lay plans for a more sustainable future.

After a joint meeting with Luxembourg's Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn; the Minister for Environment, Carole Dieschbourg; and Romain Schneider, Minister for Development, Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of Luxembourg, Mr. Ban left Luxembourg for Strasbourg, France.