Nairobi

31 March 2011

Opening remarks at press conference following the opening of a new UN building

Ban Ki-moon

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a great pleasure.

I have opened this new facility. As I said, this is a new chapter, not only for the opening - a new chapter between Kenya and the United Nations - but this is really a new chapter toward a path of a cleaner, greener [inaudible]. The United Nations is taking [the lead] by example. And I sincerely hope that this will give a good example to many countries, many companies, many United Nations agencies to follow, to work together to make a greener world for a better world.

Today, I had a very good meeting with President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister [Raila] Odinga. And I am very honoured and pleased to visit Kenya when the Kenyan Government and people are making great progress [on] this constitutional referendum. And as the Kenyan Government is now overcoming the violence and political turmoil in the wake of the 2007 presidential elections and also as the Kenyan people are looking forward to the 2012 presidential elections, I sincerely hope, and I have urged the political leadership of Kenya that they should work together harmoniously and [in a] united [manner], to build this country more solidly for political stability, socioeconomic development and protecting and promoting human rights and putting an end to impunity. I have urged the leadership of this country - the President and Prime Minister - to continue their reform, institutional reform and land reform, establishing rule of law and promoting human rights and bringing justice to the families of the victims of the violence which took place two years ago.

The United Nations is ready to stand by the Kenyan Government and people in providing the necessary technical and political support to the Kenyan Government.

We have also discussed some important issues which are now taking place on this continent - the situation in Libya and also in Côte d'Ivoire. And these are also serious issues which are related to the fundamental principle of democracy, how to protect human rights. The United Nations, together with the African Union and other stakeholders, are committed to bring an early resolution, a peaceful resolution, to these very critical situations in Libya and Côte d'Ivoire.

I've just come from a London high-level meeting on Libya and I have also been discussing the situation in Côte d'Ivoire with many world leaders and African leaders [whom] you can count on. Thank you very much.