Press Conference

Following is a transcript of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s press conference, held in New York on 19 December:

Dialogue between the regions of the Russian Federation and the United Nations could make an important contribution to sustainable development, both in that country and globally, officials said today at a Headquarters press conference sponsored by the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation.

A fundamental, global shift towards coordinated policies focused on boosting jobs and growth was needed to break a vicious cycle of debt, low growth and high unemployment, United Nations economists said this morning during a Headquarters news conference.

Despite “unprecedented gains” in the fight against malaria, especially among children, there was a real danger of slipping back, leading experts in the fight against the disease said at Headquarters today.

The value of early and sustained action by the Security Council was dramatically affirmed during Germany’s tenure, which was dominated by momentous change in the Arab world, the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations said at a press conference today.

The newly formed Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation had already adopted rules of procedure and targeted substantial issues for review, including the rights of minorities, marginalized communities and women and children, officials from the body told reporters at Headquarters today.

Whether an Indian girl, an albino or another boy - South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka could not care less whom her son brought home as long as he was happy, she said today at a Headquarters press conference.

The Security Council in December planned to intensify its focus on the Sahel, particularly the crisis in Mali, along with continued consideration of a range of situations around the world, the Permanent Representative of Morocco said as he briefed correspondents at Headquarters on the programme of work for his country’s presidency of the body.

A deal had successfully been brokered by the United Nations between Yemen’s Government and a major insurgent group in the country to stop recruiting and using child soldiers, a top children’s rights representative for the Organization told reporters at a Headquarters news conference this afternoon.

As the United Nations increasingly called on regional organizations to lead peacekeeping, peacebuilding and conflict-prevention efforts, training centres in Africa were preparing local military, police and civilian personnel to perform efficiently in troubled parts of the continent, the head of one of those centres said at a Headquarters press conference today.