WORLD LEADERS MEET AT 66TH UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

World leaders and other high ranking delegations have converged in New York, United States of America (USA) for a week long debate of the 66^th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters with the world body General Secretary Ban Ki Moon saying the global economic crisis continues to shake business, Government and families around the world.
According to a statement released to ZANIS by the first Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in New York,  Moses Walubita, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, President of Brazil Ms. Dilma Rosseff and US President Barrack Obama were among the first speakers of the session.

Presenting his report to the General Assembly entitled “We the peoples,” Mr. Ban noted that joblessness is rising while social inequalities are growing wider and too many people live in fear.

He further said the UN exists to serve those in whose name it conceived and added that during the past five years of being the Secretary General, Mr. Ban has travelled the world to meet people where they live, to hear their hopes and fears.

The UN Chief also said  the international community must invest in people particularly in education and women and children’s health saying that development is not sustainable unless it is equitable and serves all people.

Mr. Ban said, “We must intensify our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and more.”
On peacekeeping, the UN’s budget will reach total of US$8 billion this year.

“Consider the savings if we act before the conflicts erupt- by deploying political mediation mission, for example, rather than troops,” Mr. Ban told the assembly.

The General Secretary was pleased to see so many women at this year’s United Nations and observed that for the first time the organisation has UN women saying this is the world body’s unique and powerful engine for dynamic change.

And officially opening the assembly, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, the first women in UN history to open the general assembly.

The Brazilian President said “for the first time in the history of UN, a female voice opens the General Assembly debate. It is the voice of democracy and equality reverberating from this, which has the commitment of being the most representative podium in the world.”

She said it was with personal humility but with her justified pride as a woman that she met this historic moment.

At the same gathering, General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser (Qatar) welcomed South Sudan, the newest member state.

Mr. Al-Nasser said that addressing the critical issues on the agenda of the 66th session will require political will, open dialogue, close collaboration and consensus building.

Mr. Al-Nasser expressed committment to working with each member state as well as with all major stakeholders to build bridges for a united global partnership.

In carrying out the joint responsibilities he placed great value in South and triangular cooperation, as well as dialogue among civilisations and advancing the culture of peace.

On improving disaster prevention and response, Mr. Al-Nasser was deeply conscious of the tragic food and humanitarian crisis gripping Somalia. He said he would be fully committed to focusing the assembly’s attention on this humanitarian crisis.
ZANIS