Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on October 10 called for enhancedpartnership between the United Nations and the Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN), as the two bodies work together for peace, humanrights and sustainable development across the region.
“You have a tremendous opportunity to position the ASEAN region forthe 21st century. The United Nations is proud to be your partner, andwe value your openness in furthering this partnership,” Ban toldparticipants at the Fifth ASEAN-UN Summit, held in Brunei Darussalam.
He noted that the partnership between the two bodiesis growing “broader and deeper”, and highlighted four areas where it canproduce tangible results: regional connectivity; sustainabledevelopment; human rights; and peace and security. ASEAN connectivity inthe fields of transport, trade and cross-border movement, he noted, iscritical for closer, more efficient relations and to spread prosperityand close development gaps within and among countries.
The leader said he was pleased that the UN regional commission knownas ESCAP has helped ASEAN develop its Regional Connectivity Master Plan.“UN collaboration will continue as you work towards establishing theASEAN Community in 2015. We also stand ready to support efforts toimprove energy security and the improved management of shared resourcessuch as water,” he said.
On sustainable development,the Secretary General lauded the impressive progress ASEAN countrieshave made towards most of the anti-poverty targets known as theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs), whose deadline is 2015.
“We will continue to work with you to achieve all the MDGs acrossthe board,” he said. “This is imperative as we work to define a sharedvision for the post-2015 period. The United Nations is eager to hear thevoices of ASEAN nations and work with you in implementing a bold newsustainable development agenda.
“Poverty eradication must be our priority, and sustainable development our guide and principle.”
Noting that the region is highly vulnerable to weather-relateddisasters, Ban pledged continued UN support for disaster management,which he said is one of the most advanced areas of UN-ASEANcollaboration.
“Ultimately, we can only preventclimate disasters by addressing climate change,” he stated, stressingthe need to finalise a robust legal agreement on climate change in 2015.
At the same time, the post-2015 development agendamust also be rights-based, with particular emphasis on women, youngpeople and marginalised groups, the Secretary General said.
“The ASEAN region is one of the most diverse in the world,representing many of the world’s great cultures, faiths and traditions.Peace and sustainable development for all the people of the regiondepend on harmonious relations among communities and nations.
“We must avoid the divisive effects of rising inequality, which oftenevolve along ethnic or religious lines. The UN stands ready to work withall of you to promote human rights for stability and development.”
Other areas of collaboration include peacekeeping, as well as thefight against corruption, transnational organised crime, terrorism andother non-traditional security threats, he added.
Onbroader issues, the Secretary General applauded the various efforts toresolve tensions and conflicts in the region, noting for example thatthe border between Cambodia and Thailand has been calm.
In addition, the Thai Government has initiated peace dialogue with oneof the southern insurgent groups, facilitated by Malaysia, and theGovernment of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front arenow moving towards a comprehensive peace agreement.
Myanmar, the UN chief added, has been going through an “unprecedented”reform process. However, he remained concerned about ongoing communalviolence, and urged the Government and all communities to address allcontributing factors. “The reform process in Myanmar can only succeedfully if all groups in the country feel safe and part of the whole,secure in the realization of their human rights.”
On the margins of the summit, Ban met separately with several leaders,including those from Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, discussing issuessuch as Syria, sustainable development and peacekeeping.-VNA
“You have a tremendous opportunity to position the ASEAN region forthe 21st century. The United Nations is proud to be your partner, andwe value your openness in furthering this partnership,” Ban toldparticipants at the Fifth ASEAN-UN Summit, held in Brunei Darussalam.
He noted that the partnership between the two bodiesis growing “broader and deeper”, and highlighted four areas where it canproduce tangible results: regional connectivity; sustainabledevelopment; human rights; and peace and security. ASEAN connectivity inthe fields of transport, trade and cross-border movement, he noted, iscritical for closer, more efficient relations and to spread prosperityand close development gaps within and among countries.
The leader said he was pleased that the UN regional commission knownas ESCAP has helped ASEAN develop its Regional Connectivity Master Plan.“UN collaboration will continue as you work towards establishing theASEAN Community in 2015. We also stand ready to support efforts toimprove energy security and the improved management of shared resourcessuch as water,” he said.
On sustainable development,the Secretary General lauded the impressive progress ASEAN countrieshave made towards most of the anti-poverty targets known as theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs), whose deadline is 2015.
“We will continue to work with you to achieve all the MDGs acrossthe board,” he said. “This is imperative as we work to define a sharedvision for the post-2015 period. The United Nations is eager to hear thevoices of ASEAN nations and work with you in implementing a bold newsustainable development agenda.
“Poverty eradication must be our priority, and sustainable development our guide and principle.”
Noting that the region is highly vulnerable to weather-relateddisasters, Ban pledged continued UN support for disaster management,which he said is one of the most advanced areas of UN-ASEANcollaboration.
“Ultimately, we can only preventclimate disasters by addressing climate change,” he stated, stressingthe need to finalise a robust legal agreement on climate change in 2015.
At the same time, the post-2015 development agendamust also be rights-based, with particular emphasis on women, youngpeople and marginalised groups, the Secretary General said.
“The ASEAN region is one of the most diverse in the world,representing many of the world’s great cultures, faiths and traditions.Peace and sustainable development for all the people of the regiondepend on harmonious relations among communities and nations.
“We must avoid the divisive effects of rising inequality, which oftenevolve along ethnic or religious lines. The UN stands ready to work withall of you to promote human rights for stability and development.”
Other areas of collaboration include peacekeeping, as well as thefight against corruption, transnational organised crime, terrorism andother non-traditional security threats, he added.
Onbroader issues, the Secretary General applauded the various efforts toresolve tensions and conflicts in the region, noting for example thatthe border between Cambodia and Thailand has been calm.
In addition, the Thai Government has initiated peace dialogue with oneof the southern insurgent groups, facilitated by Malaysia, and theGovernment of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front arenow moving towards a comprehensive peace agreement.
Myanmar, the UN chief added, has been going through an “unprecedented”reform process. However, he remained concerned about ongoing communalviolence, and urged the Government and all communities to address allcontributing factors. “The reform process in Myanmar can only succeedfully if all groups in the country feel safe and part of the whole,secure in the realization of their human rights.”
On the margins of the summit, Ban met separately with several leaders,including those from Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia, discussing issuessuch as Syria, sustainable development and peacekeeping.-VNA
