Your Excellency Prime Minister Löfven,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to be back in Sweden for my fifth visit as Secretary-General.

I am grateful to the Prime Minister and the Government of Sweden for their warm welcome.

Most of all, I would like to express my appreciation to the people of Sweden for their outstanding efforts to safeguard and promote the values and objectives enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

Sweden is a trusted and indispensable partner of the United Nations across the global agenda, from sustainable development and humanitarian action to human rights, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and conflict prevention.

Sweden’s feminist foreign policy is helping to empower women and girls – one of the keys to future prosperity and security around the world.

Sweden is also helping us to reflect on how to strengthen our work and modernize the United Nations.

Prime Minister Löfven and I have just had a constructive set of meetings.

We discussed the challenges posed by the large-scale movement of refugees and migrants to Europe. I continue to call for more countries to join Sweden in resettling refugees and sharing what is a global responsibility. Prime Minister Löfven and I also agreed on the need to speak out against the discrimination faced by refugees and migrants. To strengthen global efforts to address this challenge, the United Nations will convene a high-level meeting on September 19th in New York.

It is essential to address root causes -- and a central one is working for peace and addressing the situation in Syria and Iraq, including efforts to counter Daesh. I am encouraged that the cessation of hostilities is holding; we must strive now for a nationwide cease-fire and progress in the talks, which will resume next week.

Implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals -- or SDGs -- is also vital. I am encouraged by Sweden's efforts led by the Prime Minister to ensure that we hit the ground running. That is further boosted by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria. I am very pleased she has agreed to be one of my SDG advocates.

The Prime Minister and I also exchanged views on the World Humanitarian Summit to be held in Istanbul on May 23rd and 24th. This will be a major opportunity to agree on new ways of providing assistance, protecting people and building resilient societies.

Finally, we discussed the work we are doing to reform and modernize the United Nations. An effective, accountable and transparent Organization is crucial in helping Member States and people meet the challenges of our time.

In closing, let me say that I am honoured to have been invited to deliver the annual Dag Hammarskjöld Lecture – and I look forward to joining many Swedes in historic City Hall in just a short while. Mr. Hammarskjöld set the standard for principled leadership and global citizenship. He remains a hero for us all – a 20th century giant whose example can help us address the serious challenges of the 21st.

Thank you.