Kenya

It is a privilege to join you here in Nairobi for the opening of the 14th session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

The high level of representation here is testament to the importance of this Conference.

Every four years since 1964, UNCTAD sessions have provided an opportunity for United Nations Member States to work together to redress economic inequalities in trade, finance, technology and investment.

This is the second time that an UNCTAD conference has come to Kenya.

I am very happy to visit this Ushahidi/i-Hub this morning.

Today is my last day of my visit to Kenya. I wanted to come here and witness myself ¬– I am feeling that I am seeing the future of Kenya, the future of many women and the future of Africa.

I am delighted to be here at the launch of this Global Media Campaign against female genital mutilation. It recognizes the critical role of media around the world in adding their voices and reach to help end FGM in a generation.

With its anti-FGM campaigns in the United Kingdom, the United States, The Gambia, and now Kenya, The Guardian has demonstrated its commitment to bringing an end to this brutal practice. I commend the Kenyan Government for intensifying its efforts to end FGM.

It is a pleasure to join you today. I am glad that my visit to the Horn of Africa has enabled me to take part in this important gathering. Thank you for your invitation and this opportunity.

I thank the Kenyan Government for hosting this inaugural Forum. I also thank the World Bank for working with UN-Habitat and the UN Environment Programme in supporting this effort.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is always a great pleasure for me to be here in Nairobi, which is also home to UNON and so many of our dedicated United Nations staff. As the President just said, I have become a regular and frequent visitor and I am very happy to visit Nairobi as often as possible.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to be back in Kenya.

I thank President Kenyatta and the Government and people of Kenya for their hospitality. I had a productive meeting with the President today.

Yesterday I attended the closing ceremony of the inaugural United Nations Environment Assembly.

The ambitious first session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) concluded its five-day deliberations very late last night with 16 decisions and resolutions and a ministerial outcome document.

Your Excellency Madam Margaret Gakuo Kenyatta, First Lady of Kenya,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased to be here in Nairobi to speak on a subject so close to my heart.

Maternal mortality has been one of the Millennium Development Goals where we have seen the slowest progress.

The objective of MDG5 is to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters and provide universal access to reproductive health by 2015.

Even though we have seen advances in recent years, too many women still die in childbirth or from complications related to pregnancy.

I am delighted that I could join you at this historic meeting.

Mr President Kenyatta, I thank you for your support from the beginning of this process. Your leadership made a lot of difference to help make our environment more sustainable.

I thank the people and Governement of Kenya for their support to the work of the United Nations in Kenya. We are proud to work with you.

In the past few days, I have travelled the length and breadth of Africa.

It has been a long journey, but nothing compared with yours.