Secretary-General Calls for Redoubled Efforts towards Progress on All Fronts

of Peace Process, in Message to Closing Ceremony of UN Mission in Nepal

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, as delivered by United Nations Department of Political Affairs Director of the Asia-Pacific Division, Tamrat Samuel, to the closing ceremony for the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), in Kathmandu, today, 14 January:

As the United Nations Mission in Nepal prepares to close at midnight tomorrow, I thank my representative Karin Landgren, her predecessor, Ian Martin, and all UNMIN staff of the past four years for their contribution to the Nepali-led peace process.  I also want to acknowledge the memory of those colleagues who lost their lives in the service of this mission in March 2008.

The Security Council’s decision to end UNMIN’s mandate was in line with a September 2010 agreement between the Government of Nepal and the Maoists in which they pledged to basically complete the remaining tasks of the peace process by 15 January.  Regrettably, insufficient progress was made.  I encourage the parties to redouble their efforts to build the confidence that can bring progress on all fronts of Nepal’s peace process.

The United Nations Mission in Nepal deployed in record time and helped the parties to negotiate the agreement that has served as the basis for the monitoring of arms and armies.  The Mission provided support to the historic elections for a Constituent Assembly in 2008, which was one of its key tasks, along with monitoring the implementation of the arms monitoring agreement and the ceasefire code of conduct.  The Mission also chaired regular meetings of the Joint Monitoring Coordination Committee, the confidence-building mechanism which helped to resolve disputes related to the monitoring.  The parties have shown a high degree of respect for the monitoring regime.

Throughout its existence, UNMIN sought to instil confidence in the peace process and encourage attention to its most critical tasks.  I would like to assure the people of Nepal that the United Nations will remain engaged in Nepal’s peace process through the United Nations County Team, and through the continued engagement of the Department of Political Affairs.  I hope and trust that the parties are committed to finding the way forward to complete the process and realize the aspirations of the Nepali people.

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For information media • not an official record