Ban Ki-moon

I thank the Spanish presidency of the Council, led by His Excellency Mariano Rajoy, for convening this important meeting.
I come with a plea: for Member States to take steps to help victims of trafficking today – and prevent further cases in the future.
That means attention to immediate crimes and underlying causes.
Trafficking is a global problem – but the most vulnerable people are those caught in conflict: women, children, internally displaced persons and refugees.
War provides oxygen to terrorist groups. It gives them space to flourish.

Your Excellency Mr. Mariano Rajoy, Prime Minister of Spain, Your Excellency Mr. Román Oyarzun, Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Secretary-General condemns the terrorist attack in Berlin last night. He expresses his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims of this horrific act, as well as to the Government and the people of Germany. He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.
 
The Secretary-General hopes anyone involved in the commission of this appalling crime will be swiftly brought to justice.
 
 

I am delighted to be with you this evening.
 
I must confess that when I first heard about his event, I was a little worried and confused.
 
I was told I was coming to break a barrel of sake and get plastered!
 
Surely that would not be appropriate for a Secretary-General, even one in his last couple of weeks in office?
 
But then it was explained.
 
I would be meeting master plasterer Naoki Kusumi and I would be inscribing a message on a plaster wall to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Japan joining the United Nations.

Before proceeding, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the Russian delegation following the assassination of their colleague, Ambassador Andrey Karlov, in Ankara earlier today.  I condemn this senseless act of terror, for which there can be no justification.

We are here to address one of the world’s most urgent crises: the deteriorating situation South Sudan. 

Not long ago, the people of South Sudan were riding a wave of optimism.  Africa’s longest civil war had ended.  The world’s youngest nation was born.