The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development. In adopting resolution 64/136 on 18 December, the Assembly noted that cooperatives impact poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration.

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the General Assembly on the outcome of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in New York, 21 December:

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

The following statement was issued on 19 December by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

In a bid to boost recovery from the global financial, economic crisis and tackle entrenched policy challenges to long-term growth, trade and sustainable development, the Assembly laid the groundwork for consideration of those issues by unanimously adopting –- out of 38 development-related actions put forward by its Second Committee –- several resolutions and landmark texts on food security, legal rights for the poor, and principles governing humankind’s relationship with the earth.

Recognizing the numerous difficulties faced by survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution requesting the Secretary-General to encourage relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to provide assistance in the areas of education, medical care, skills training and microcredit programmes aimed at promoting self-sufficiency.

Gravely concerned about findings that Eritrea had provided support to armed groups undermining peace and reconciliation in Somalia and that it had not withdrawn its forces following clashes with Djibouti in June 2008, the Security Council today imposed an arms embargo on that country, in addition to travel restrictions on and a freeze on the assets of its political and military leaders.

The Security Council decided today to extend until 31 May 2010 the deployment of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), expressing the intention to extend it further following consideration of ways to enhance MONUC’S ability to protect civilians.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Jerzy Skuratowicz of Poland as his Deputy Special Representative for Iraq. Mr. Skuratowicz will head the political, electoral and constitutional support component of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

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