Activities of Secretary-General in Indonesia, 17-20 November
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon‑taek, arrived in the province of Central Kalimantan in Borneo, Indonesia, in the morning of Thursday, 17 November.
His first stop there was at a health clinic, where he immunized a child against polio and met with pregnant women and health workers.
He then received a briefing over lunch on REDD+, a deforestation initiative, from Teras Nerang, Governor of Central Kalimantan. The province is the home of the pilot programme for Indonesia’s REDD+ activities.
In his remarks at the event, the Secretary-General said that while REDD+ can play an effective role in engaging developing countries in the global fight against climate change, it is not a substitute for deep greenhouse emissions reductions in developed countries. Rather, he said, it is complementary. (See Press Release SG/SM/13954)
“Making REDD+ a success here in Kalimantan, and elsewhere in Indonesia, will require the commitment and cooperation of all stakeholders,” he said, stressing the need for the consent of communities, especially indigenous people, partnerships at the national and regional levels, and donor support from the international community. The Secretary-General also attended the opening of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Indonesia REDD+, known as UNORCID.
He then visited the village of Kalampangan, where he met with representatives of communities affected by deforestation.
Before departing Central Kalimantan for Bali, the Secretary-General held a press conference at the airport, where he told journalists that while the REDD+ initiative can play an effective role in engaging developing countries in the global fight against climate change, it is not a substitute for deep greenhouse-gas-emission reductions in developing countries.
The Secretary-General’s programme in Bali began on the morning of Friday, 18 November, with a breakfast meeting with representatives of the so-called “H5” — the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
He then spoke at the Business and Investment Summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), where he called on private sector leaders to step up their efforts to improve women’s and children’s health. (See Press Release SG/SM/13956)
The next stop for the Secretary-General was at a health clinic, where he weighed a child and helped immunize another against polio. He toured the facility and observed a session of a mothers’ exercise class.
He then met with Endang Rahyu Sedyaningsih, Indonesia’s Minister of Health, and other senior Government officials.
Following lunch with members of the United Nations country team in Indonesia, he met with Albert del Rosario, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines. Among other issues, they discussed United Nations-ASEAN cooperation, Myanmar, the Millennium Development Goals, sustainable development and maternal and children’s health.
The Secretary-General then met with Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen of Cambodia. On the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the Secretary-General urged the Government to respect and support the independence of the Courts’ judicial process, and to maintain full cooperation with the Courts.
His last event of the day was a gala dinner hosted by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia.
The next morning, on Saturday, 19 November, the Secretary-General held a breakfast meeting with President Thein Sein of Myanmar. They discussed ways in which the international community and the United Nations can further encourage and support the Government and people of Myanmar in their efforts towards democracy, peace and development.
He then met with President Yudhoyono of Indonesia, welcoming the country’s exemplary progress on democratic governance, before recognizing the President as the first-ever Global Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The Secretary-General addressed the fourth ASEAN-United Nations Summit, where the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the United Nations was adopted. “The United Nations attaches great importance to this Joint Declaration,” he said, voicing confidence that the partnership between the two organizations will grow deeper and stronger in the years to come. (See Press Release SG/SM/13957)
Following two interviews with Indonesian news outlets Metro TV and Antara, he spoke at the opening of the East Asia Summit, where he told the Heads of State and Government gathered that he is concerned that in this time of economic crisis, Asian nations will trim their investment human capital. “My point is this — social investment is not a luxury to be done once the world economy recovers. To the contrary, social investment is itself an engine of growth right now, and we must all uphold our commitments to it,” he said. (See Press Release SG/SM/13968)
The Secretary-General attended a lunchtime event for the “Global Pulse”, which seeks to improve access to better information sooner to keep international development on track, protect the world’s most vulnerable populations and strengthen resilience to global shocks.
The last official event on the Secretary-General’s programme was a press conference, at which he told journalists that now is the moment for Asia — and ASEAN in particular — to step into a truly global role. “The United Nations is ready to work closely with a newly global ASEAN on sustainable development and climate change, on disaster risk prevention and preparedness on food and energy security, on human rights, on women’s empowerment and the whole range of regional and United Nations issues.”
He returned to New York on Sunday, 20 November.