Secretary-General hails Assembly president’s delivery of ‘remarkable results’

 

in remarks to concert hosted by former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the concert hosted by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in New York yesterday, 10 September:

It is a great pleasure to be here tonight.  I want to thank the organizers for putting together this very special concert.  I know that everyone is looking forward to the performance, so I will try to keep my remarks brief, but I do want to take a moment to pay tribute to our outgoing Assembly President, Dr. Srgjan Kerim.

Before I became Secretary-General, I worked, in 2001, in the Office of the President of the General Assembly, and I learned to appreciate how much it can accomplish.  Last year when Dr. Kerim was elected President, I had very high hopes.  Since then, he has exceeded even my greatest expectations.

Dr. Kerim helped build momentum on climate change ahead of last year’s crucial talks in Bali –- where we achieved a breakthrough that had looked nearly impossible.

As President, he pushed for international action on a whole range of critical issues.  The Assembly held substantive high-level meetings on the major challenges of our time, including intercultural understanding, financing for development, children’s rights and counter-terrorism.

It was an impressive agenda, and Dr. Kerim delivered remarkable results.

He also fully supported my efforts to reform the United Nations, to make it more modern and more effective.

Dr. Kerim is well-known as a diplomat, an academic, an economist and a businessman.  What is less well-known is that the key to his success is his humanism.  He has written nine books dealing with international politics, economics and youth -– and he has also written poetry from the heart.

Dr. Kerim once said, “We should all become examples of tolerance and mutual understanding in our daily lives.”

Leading the General Assembly, he did more than advocate the United Nations’ principles -– he practised them.

I’ll always appreciate Dr. Kerim for his great contribution to the United Nations.  But beyond that, I’ll never forget his sincerity.  He is more than an effective leader –- he is a warm and genuine person who I am proud to call a friend.

Dr. Kerim has done so much to achieve harmony among nations, it seems fitting that we are here tonight to enjoy harmonious music.

I know I speak for many when I say, Dr. Kerim, thank you very much for your service, your dedication and your friendship.

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For information media • not an official record