Activities of Secretary-General in Australia, 3 September

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon‑taek, arrived in Sydney early on the morning of Saturday, 3 September, after a flight from Paris via Hong Kong.

They then flew to Canberra, where the Secretary-General met first with Kevin Rudd, the Foreign Minister of Australia, at the Minister’s home in the suburb of Yarralumla.  They discussed the Horn of Africa humanitarian crisis as well as developments in Libya and Syria, the Secretary-General’s Global Sustainability Panel and forthcoming meetings on nuclear safety and security, and women’s and children’s health, in New York.

The Secretary-General next held talks with Julia Gillard, the Prime Minister of Australia, at Parliament House.  After their talks, they spoke to the media.  The Secretary-General said Australia may be known as “Down Under” but it is above and beyond when it comes to its contribution to the United Nations, through peacekeeping, development aid and its promotion of human rights.  He said sustainable development would be central to his visit to Australia and the South Pacific region.

The Secretary-General, accompanied by Madam Ban, departed Canberra for Honiara, Solomon Islands, that afternoon, arriving in the evening.