Ban Ki-moon

The Secretary-General condemns the killing of a peacekeeper from South Africa deployed with the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in Butembo, North Kivu, earlier today. The peacekeeper was killed during an exchange of fire with suspected combatants of a Mayi Mayi armed group. Two other peacekeepers from South Africa were also injured during the firefight. 

The Secretary-General condemns the assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov in Ankara today. He expresses his deepest condolences to the family of Ambassador Karlov and to the Government and people of the Russian Federation.
The Secretary-General is appalled by this senseless act of terror and emphasizes that there can be no justification for the targeting of diplomatic personnel and civilians. The Secretary-General is following the unfolding situation closely and wishes the other people who were reportedly injured in the attack a speedy and full recovery.

The Secretary-General commends the firm stance taken by the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 17 December with respect to the situation in The Gambia, including the decisions to take all necessary actions to enforce the outcome of the presidential election, guarantee the protection of President-elect Adama Barrow, and attend the inauguration of President-elect Adama Barrow on 19 January 2017.

 
            The Special Envoy welcomes the adoption of Security Council resolution 2328 (2016) on Syria.  He hopes that this could be a beginning of the restoration of the unity of the Security Council. Along with the wider UN system, the Office of the Special Envoy will be fully engaged in promoting the operational implementation of the resolution on the ground.
 

Your Excellency Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,
Your Excellency Minister for Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida, 
Excellencies, 
Ladies and gentlemen, 

I congratulate the Government and people of Japan on the 60th anniversary of membership in the United Nations. 

When Japan joined the United Nations as a peace-loving country, the decision was welcomed by the Japanese public and the entire world. 

Since then, Japan has shown a strong commitment to the UN Charter and made significant contributions to the Organization’s work.

The Secretary-General welcomes today’s announcement of the formation of a new Government of national accord in Lebanon. He congratulates Prime Minister Saad Hariri on the swift process and encourages Lebanon’s political leaders to build on the momentum of national unity. The Secretary-General pays tribute to outgoing Prime Minister Tammam Salam for his leadership. The Secretary-General hopes that the new Government will ensure that the country’s forthcoming parliamentary election is successfully conducted within the timeframe set by the constitution.

This has been another turbulent year for refugees and migrants. We have seen the continued devastating effect of armed conflict on civilian populations, leading to death, destruction and displacement. We have witnessed the unacceptable loss of thousands of lives of people in transit in the Mediterranean and elsewhere. And, to add insult to injury, we have witnessed the rise of populist movements that seek to alienate and expel migrants and refugees, and to blame them for various ills of society.

One year ago today, the Libyan Political Agreement was signed in Skhirat, Morocco, marking a critical milestone in the country’s democratic transition.

The Secretary-General commends all Libyans who engaged in the process, in the spirit of reconciliation, inclusion and human rights. The road to peace is long and requires hard work and commitment. Much has been achieved in the past year. The Presidency Council was formed and operates from Tripoli. Oil production has increased and significant advances have been made against terrorism across the country.