Good morning, it is a great pleasure to participate in this annual World Bank-IMF Finance Ministers meeting.

While the United Nations addresses many crises – starting from Syria to Ukraine, South Sudan to the Central African Republic - you must know that this is a very critical moment for development; a critical moment for humanity.

The United Nations is working very hard to accelerate the Millennium Development Goals as the 2015 deadline is approaching fast. We are also working very hard to define the Post-2015 development agenda; sustainable development. At the same time we must have a global legal climate change agreement by the end of next year, 2015.

This climate change is a defining issue of our time, and an existential threat to our life and development.

We have to address this issue immediately.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in its most recent report, has made it quite clear that climate change is happening and approaching much, much faster than one may expect.

The United Nations, the World Bank and the IMF have worked together to address this issue with the full support and engagement of the United Nations Member States.

That is why I am going to convene a summit meeting on climate change on September 23rd.

We have two basic purposes: one is to raise political will. I urge the political leaders of the world to prioritize their resources and their political energy on climate change. Second: catalyse actions on the ground. I am inviting all the leaders – business leaders and civil society leaders to address these issues.

I am very grateful to the leaders of the Bretton Woods Institute - World Bank President, Dr. Kim, as well as IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde for their very strong engagement and leadership working together with the United Nations for humanity.

And I count on your continued leadership.

Thank you very much.