Secretary-General's Remarks to the General Assembly on 2011 Priorities

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me begin by wishing you a happy and peaceful new year.

I would like to thank you for your cooperation –and I look forward to our continued partnership in tackling the challenges ahead.

Mr. President, I also want to salute your leadership.

We have a full agenda and I would like to go through that in some detail with you today.

We know from our work together that you, the UN Member States, are displaying your confidence in the Organization by calling upon it to do more than ever before.

And we are our doing best to deliver. From climate change to nuclear disarmament to sustainable development. From promoting human rights to empowering women to strengthening our own house.

The United Nations, of course, does many things and we will move forward on all fronts.

But today I want to highlight eight specific action areas for 2011 –opportunities where a concerted effort this year will yield an outsized return.

Let me go through them in turn.

First, advancing action on inclusive and sustainable development.

The impact of the global recession is still being felt in every corner of the world. People are worried about their jobs?their security?their children's future.

This is especially true for the poorest and most vulnerable.

We can be proud of the outcome of last year's MDG Summit. We emerged with a five-year action plan. We raised global awareness. And we generated specific policy and resource commitments to address the shortfalls.

Now we must focus on follow-through. This includes a major push to implement the Global Strategy for Women's and Children's health within a new global accountability framework. At the same time, we must sustain the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other deadly diseases.

Least Developed Countries continue to confront significant levels of poverty and hunger. A new food crisis is starting to hit hard.

At the UN Conference on LDCs in Istanbul in May, we will work for the adoption of a new ten-year Programme of Action for LDC Development that supports food and nutrition security, decent work, disaster risk reduction, climate-resilience and clean energy growth.

And we must further develop our vision for sustainable development. The Rio+20 Conference next year is a generational opportunity to put sustainable development –and its economic, social and environmental pillars –at the centre of policymaking.

That leads me to the second strategic priority: climate change.

Once again, there is much to build upon –advances on biodiversity in Nagoya?vital progress in Cancun.

We will take this forward to COP 17 in South Africa.

To this end, your support for delivering mitigation commitments on the ground at home –REDD Plus, adaptation, technology, fast-track financing, the Green Fund, and the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing –point us in the right direction.

Let us lead with action.

Our third strategic priority focuses on empowering women.

Take any issue –climate change, development, peace and security: When women are part of the vision, the world sees better results.

That is why I am proud that we begin the new year with a major new agency: UN Women.

UN Women is the product of years of our common effort based on common values.

Now we must work to build UN Women into all that it should be: a fully operational, fully integrated member of the UN family ? a dynamic force for change and women's empowerment everywhere.

And we will do even more to combat violence against women.

And I pledge to continue to increase the number of women in senior leadership posts. Overall, the number of women in the highest ranks has increased by more than 40 per cent during the last four years.

We need to continue our efforts and expand them at the mid-levels as well.

Priority number four: promoting a safer and more secure world.

Around the globe, we will work with you to increase support to Member States and regional partners facing crises or crucial transitions.

That is why, today, we stand with ECOWAS and the African Union in upholding the will of the people in Cote d'Ivoire. We are sending a strong signal of support for democracy throughout Africa.

The facts on the ground are indisputable. Cote d'Ivoire has a legitimately elected president ? Alassane Ouattara. The previous incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, must stand aside.

I am deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation and growing number of violent incidents targeting civilians and the United Nations mission.

Let me say clearly: attacks on civilians as well as international peacekeepers constitute crimes under international law. So is incitement to commit such crimes. The International Criminal Court has declared its intention to open investigations.

The Security Council is currently discussing my proposals to reinforce the mission on the ground.

We ask you, the Member States, to support us fully in the robust execution of our mandated responsibilities.

We are also closely working with international partners for peace in Sudan.

The referendum has proceeded smoothly, without major incidents. Turnout has been very impressive.

But the biggest challenge lies before us. We must help resolve difficult issues: borders, movements of people, sharing resources, Abyei and more.

The situation in Abyei is of particular concern. Following the recent clashes, it is critical to prevent an escalation of tensions. It is important that all concerned –the CPA parties and those on the ground –refrain from unilateral actions and resume discussions on the status of Abyei as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, we remain vigilant in Darfur. The UN efforts to protect civilians, provide security and humanitarian assistance continue without interruption, as do our efforts to help the parties negotiate an enduring peace. The recent clashes between the Government and rebel forces underscore the need for us to intensify efforts to help the parties towards a political resolution of the crisis.

We will continue to manage difficult challenges from Afghanistan to Iraq, from Somalia to the Middle East to Nepal and beyond.

This includes increased use of my good offices ? enhanced peacekeeping and peacebuilding ? support and greater cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations.

In all of these challenges, we need your support to ensure that we can respond with full strength.

Fifth, we will advance human rights and accountability.

We are working hard to move the world to an era of accountability.

We have strengthened the International Criminal Court. We have spoken out vigorously on journalistic freedoms and civil rights. Tribunals in places such as the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda have brought justice –and we must keep moving forward around the world.

In the coming year, we will work with Member States to safeguard human rights and advance humanitarian law.

We will work with Member States and regional and sub-regional groups to operationalize the responsibility to protect.

With the review of the Human Rights Council, Member States have the opportunity to significantly upgrade consideration of human rights on the international stage and ensure follow-up on recommendations.

I urge you to make the most of it.

Sixth, we will improve our response to major humanitarian crises.

Last year, we saw overwhelming calamities and suffering from Haiti to Pakistan.

The magnitude of these crises has brought home som