Secretary-General Congratulates United States President Barack Obama

On Winning 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

 

The following statement by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was issued today, 9 October:

I would like to wholeheartedly welcome and congratulate United States President Barack Obama on winning the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.

This is great news for President Obama, for the people of the United States, and for the United Nations.

We are entering an era of renewed multilateralism, a new era where the challenges facing humankind demand global common cause and uncommon global effort.  President Obama embodies the new spirit of dialogue and engagement on the world's biggest problems:  climate change, nuclear disarmament and a wide range of peace and security challenges.  President Obama’s commitment to work through the United Nations gives the world's people fresh hope and fresh prospects.

We at the United Nations highly applaud him, and the Nobel Committee for its choice. 

I look forward to further deepening the United States-United Nations partnership as a key building block to a better and safer world for all.

Again, I send my deepest and wholehearted congratulations to President Obama.  I wish him continued success. 

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For information media • not an official record