Secretary-General Reiterates Commitment to Freedom of Expression, Press at United Nations Correspondents Association Executive Committee Lunch

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at lunch with the Executive Committee of the United Nations Correspondents Associations (UNCA), in New York today:

It is a great pleasure to have this annual luncheon meeting at the beginning of the new year.  I would like to thank you for all your support for the United Nations and your covering of all the good news and sad news.

I would like to reiterate my commitment to freedom of expression and freedom of the press and assembly.  Recently, we have seen a couple of heinous attacks against the press and against journalists.  Across the world, journalists continue to face attacks, harassment and other infringements on their human rights.  I will continue to speak out about the need to safeguard the ability of the media to do its vital work.

And I am very pleased that I am here today with the Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Public Information, Cristina Gallach.  You might have known her because she herself was a journalist for 15 years and she was working with many journalists across the Atlantic, the European Union and NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization], so she is a well-experienced person.  I hope that you will have a good friendship and working relationship, both personal and official.  She has my full support.

Let me say a few words about the current situation around the world.  Then I will be happy to answer some of your questions.  You are well aware that United Nations Member States are poised to take dramatic steps this year.  This is, I think, one of the most important years in the history of the United Nations.

We have three priorities I have been repeating all the time.  We have to do the utmost efforts to meet the targets of the Millennium Development Goals.  Then the Member States are working very hard to shape the post-2015 development agenda by September.  We are going to have a special summit session for three days, from September 25 to 27, and we expect that most of the world leaders will be here and discuss and adopt and declare as their vision to the world, aiming by 2030, sustainable development goals. 

And of course, as you know, by December this year in Paris, we must have a universal, meaningful climate change agreement.  Those are the three most important agenda items.  Of course in July, in Addis Ababa, Member States will have a high-level meeting to discuss and adopt a robust financial support mechanism to support sustainable development goals and climate change.  Those are very important.

Now, last month, I was in the Davos Forum and I met a lot of world leaders and business leaders and civil society leaders.  People across the world are coming to see not only the perils of climate change.  Even former sceptics of climate change are starting to grasp the opportunities of making a transition to low-carbon development.  They expect political leaders to act and to lead.

As we strive for historic action on development and climate change, we continue to battle Ebola epidemics in West Africa while facing multiple crises on peace and security issues.  I had a very good meeting at the AU [African Union] Summit with leaders.  All African leaders participated in the Ebola meeting.

Now, I am alarmed by the upsurge of fighting in Ukraine, and by the reinforcements on both sides, including with heavy weaponry.  Syria remains the scene of untold horror.  March, next month, will be the beginning of the fifth year, so we are now almost completing a full four years of a tragic situation.

The situation in Libya remains chaotic.  But my Special Envoy, [Bernardino] León, has been doing a very good job of bringing both parties [together].  In Yemen, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating and the unrest has deeply worrying regional implications.

Hostilities in Darfur are on the rise.  Boko Haram is a growing threat to Nigeria and the wider region.  I have just returned from the African Union Summit and they agreed to establish a Multinational Joint Task Force, which they will bring to the Security Council for endorsement, for support.  And I have already spoken to some key Security Council members on the African Union’s initiative.

We continue to witness appalling acts of terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence.  Yesterday’s news of the murder of a Jordanian pilot, and the beheadings of two Japanese [captives], is most heinous.  I am just appalled how human beings can be so cruel and so brutal.  We must really do all that we can to defeat this terrorism.

The United Nations is supporting Member States in addressing the threat posed by Da’esh and other such groups.  Our response needs to be comprehensive, addressing the question of foreign terrorist fighters, financing and other aspects.  We must also avoid falling into the traps set by those who seek to divide, and ensure that our responses do not violate human rights.

Finally, I am now lifting off the record; this is on the record.  Now, I would like to make a brief announcement.  On Friday I will travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a meeting with His Majesty King Salman and to pay my personal respects on the death of His Majesty King Abdullah.  I expect to use my time in Riyadh to engage the Government on the situations in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and many other challenges.  My meeting with King Salman has been fixed and I am going to meet the Crown Prince, the Deputy Crown Prince and many other senior leadership.

On Sunday, after my visit to Saudi Arabia, I will continue on to the United Arab Emirates to attend the Government Summit 2015, which will focus on ensuring that States, as well as institutions such as the United Nations, are properly equipped to meet the challenges of the 21st century. 

In that spirit, the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations will be an important moment for serious reflection on our achievements and setbacks.  The panel on peace operations, as well as the reviews of peacebuilding and our work for women’s empowerment, will offer rich food for thought and guidance for the future.  Thank you for your attention, and I will be happy to engage in dialogue.