Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the United Nations Academic Impact-ELS Many Languages One World Student Forum, delivered by Cristina Gallach, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, in New York today:

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Economic and Social Council concluded its coordination and management session this afternoon with the adoption of a draft decision on international cooperation in tax matters and a draft resolution on the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020.

The Secretary-General took note of the broadly peaceful conduct of polling in the Burundian presidential elections on 21 July and called on all parties to continue to remain calm and immediately resume an inclusive political dialogue to resolve their differences and address the challenges facing the country.  He reminded Burundian authorities of their responsibility to guarantee and protect the safety and security of the civilian population and to ensure an end to further acts of violence as well as accountability for any human rights violations committed.

The Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations Committee associated 19 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), including one organization which received probationary association.  This brings to 1,439 the number of NGOs working with the Department in the area of communications and outreach.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Paul Ladd of the United Kingdom as Director of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).  Mr. Ladd will succeed Sarah Cook of the United Kingdom, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedicated service and able leadership of the Institute.

The United Nations General Assembly will mark Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) with an informal meeting at Headquarters, including the award of the first-ever UN Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize, on 24 July, recognizing the South African leader’s contributions to democracy, justice and reconciliation and his dedication to the service of humanity.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

Calling for decisive action to reverse the growing perception that the two-State solution was dying a death “by a thousand cuts”, the top United Nations Middle East envoy today urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders to engage in a broad political framework with the goal of achieving a final status agreement, during the Security Council’s quarterly open debate on the subject.

The Economic and Social Council, extending its three-day coordination and management session until 23 July, deferred action on 3 texts and adopted 9 resolutions and 12 decisions, including several aimed at furthering the work of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.