Activities of Secretary-General in Equatorial Guinea, 25-27 June
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon-taek, flew on Wednesday, 25 June, from Windhoek, Namibia, to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to attend the twenty-third African Union Summit.
Upon arrival in Malabo, the Secretary-General participated in the ceremony of installation of the United Nations system in the building donated by the Government of Equatorial Guinea, alongside President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
In his remarks at the ceremony, the Secretary-General said the United Nations was eager to assist in improving social conditions and will help Equatorial Guinea to reduce poverty and inequality, promote food security and help advance respect for human rights. (See Press Release SG/SM/15974.)
On Thursday, 26 June, the Secretary-General attended the opening ceremony of the twenty-third African Union Summit. In his address, he said that the United Nations was proud to be a key partner of the African Union and that it would remain by its side as it developed and implemented Agenda 2063 — promoting peace, human rights and sustainable development. (See Press Release SG/SM/15976.)
On the margins of the Summit, the Secretary-General had a number of bilateral meetings: with President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso; President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania and Chairperson of the African Union; President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt; President Salva Kiir of South Sudan; President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali; President Catherine Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic; Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed of Somalia; and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
He concluded his day with a press conference at the Summit venue, where he said that the recurring theme of many of his discussions in Malabo had been regional cooperation and regional challenges, including inter-ethnic or religious violence, terrorism, illicit wildlife and drug trafficking.
On Friday, 27 June, the Secretary-General attended the meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change. In his remarks at the event, he said that Africa had the opportunity to create new markets, and more and better jobs, by building a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy that will enhance water, food and energy security. (See Press Release SG/SM/15982.)
The Secretary-General then left Equatorial Guinea for Kenya, to participate in the first United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi.