Activities of Secretary-General in Nicaragua, 29-30 July
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon-taek, arrived in Managua, Nicaragua, in the morning of Tuesday, 29 July, on his first official visit to the Central American country.
Immediately upon arrival at the Nicaraguan capital’s airport, the Secretary-General addressed the press, together with President Daniel Ortega.
The Secretary-General told journalists that Nicaragua is an important Member State of the United Nations and has been playing a very important role for peace and development for many important regional and global organizations, including the “Group of 77” developing countries and China (G77) and the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC).
He attended a working luncheon with Government ministers, who made presentations on various projects and initiatives, such as community policing.
The Secretary-General then flew 45 minutes by helicopter to the Rivas Department, where he visited a wind farm known as Parque Eólico Camilo Ortega Saavedra, named after the President’s deceased brother.
At the wind farm, the largest in Central America, the Secretary-General praised Nicaragua’s efforts to promote sustainable energy, in particular its target of having 97 per cent of its energy generated by renewable sources by the year 2028. “Nicaragua understands well that energy is central to implementing the Millennium Development Goals, as well as shaping the post-2015 development agenda,” he said.
Upon returning to Managua, the Secretary-General met with United Nations staff working in Nicaragua.
He then took part in an official welcoming ceremony hosted by President Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, Coordinator of the Communication and Citizenship Council. The Secretary-General met with the many youth who attended the event.
The Secretary-General ended his day with a meeting over dinner with President Ortega, in which they discussed Nicaragua’s progress towards reaching development targets.
The following morning, Wednesday, 30 July, the Secretary-General departed Nicaragua for an official visit to Costa Rica.