Your Excellency Mr. Tommo Monte, (Chair of the African Group for May)
Your Excellency Mr. Tete Antonio (P.R. of the A.U. to the U.N.)
Mrs Badji, (President of the UN African Ambassadors' Spouses Group)
Dr. Hamad (Universal Peace Federation)
Dr. Walsh (Universal Peace Federation)
I am delighted to be here this evening to mark Africa Day.
This year's celebration has particular significance, marking the 50th anniversary of the independence of several Francophone African states, and of Nigeria.
The United Nations was a great beneficiary of the independence movements that swept Africa five decades ago. Newly-independent African countries brought a fresh outlook and a new spirit to international relations.
African Member States have consistently reminded the international community of its responsibility to the most vulnerable. I thank them for their commitment to global solidarity.
In turn, the UN family has promoted the fundamental values of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Africa.
From peace and security, to social and economic development and regional integration, the United Nations has proven itself an indispensable partner.
The theme of today's celebration recognizes 2010 as the Year of Peace in Africa, under the slogan “Make Peace Happen.”
UN missions on the ground in Africa are engaged in every aspect of peacekeeping, peacebuilding and conflict prevention. UN agencies work with African partners to tackle internal strife, attempts at unconstitutional changes of power, and violence against civilians -- especially women.
This growing cooperation is also seen in the regular dialogue between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council.
Our partnership for peace in Africa has already borne fruit.
Armed conflict is waning across the continent, although its persistence in some places remains deeply troubling.
From Cote d'Ivoire to Kenya, UN interventions and missions have played a crucial role.
But we must do more – and we will.
The Millennium Development Goals hold the key to improving security from the ground up in Africa – and around the world.
Healthy, productive people make healthy, productive societies, and resolve their problems through peaceful diplomacy.
The September Summit on the MDGs will be another venue for upholding our commitments to Africa, and to peace.
Preparations for the summit are shifting into higher gear. In the month ahead, I will be making three trips to Africa to promote the MDGs and talk to African leaders about the way forward. I will also be attending the Africa-France Summit in Nice.
In Malawi next week, I will visit a Millennium Village -- a case study in a basic truth about the MDGs: Where we try, we succeed. When we don't try, we fail.
In June, I visit South Africa, Burundi, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin and Sierra Leone.
Most people will be focusing on the World Cup during that trip? including, I suspect, some of my own advisers!
The tournament will be a great coming-of-age ceremony for Africa as a sporting superpower.
Sport has a great role in uniting people and promoting tolerance, perseverance, respect and fair play – all goals of the United Nations and essential for building a better world. But I hope we can direct at least some attention, between matches, to the important issues on our agenda.
At the end of June, I will return to the continent to visit Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. MONUC is at a crucial stage of its work, and I want to engage personally with the country's leaders on the important matters at stake.
So my thoughts will be very much with Africa in the coming period. I am determined to do my part in pushing for greater progress on the MDGs and enabling the continent to achieve its full economic, political and social potential.
On Africa Day, let us rededicate ourselves to our partnership in the pursuit of peace and progress for all Africa's people.
Thank you.