New UN Secretary General
October 14, 2006
The 62-year-old career diplomat will take over from Ghanaian chief Kofi Annan in January and will becomes the world body's eighth secretary general and the first Asian UN chief since U Thant of Burma led the organization from 1961 to 1971.
"I am deeply honored to become the second Asian to lead the organization," Ban told the General Assembly after his nomination Friday.
"The true measure of success for the UN is not how much we promise, but how much we deliver for those who need us most," he said, adding: "The UN is needed now more than ever before."
Ban, a mild-mannered figure, has played key roles both as South Korea's foreign minister and earlier as Seoul's ambassador to the United Nations in trying to resolve the long-standing North Korean nuclear crisis.
He outlined fighting poverty, HIV/AIDS, environmental degradation and protecting human rights Friday as among the priorities of his tenure along with containing the spread of weapons of mass destruction and combating terrorism.
The United Nations body is under increasing pressure to reform, notably from its biggest financial backer and host the United States, but Ban hinted that reforms would only come at an appropriate time.
General Secretary-elect pushes for reform
"We reform not to please others, but because we value what this organization stands for. We reform because we believe in its future. We cannot change everything at once. But if we choose wisely, and work together transparently, flexibly and honestly, progress in a few areas will lead to progress in a few more," he added.
The European Union and United States led the congratulations, with US ambassador to the UN John Bolton saying: "We believe he is the right person to lead the United Nations at this decisive moment in its history, particularly as the UN struggles to fulfill the terms of the reform agenda that world leaders agreed to last fall."
President George W. Bush welcomed the appointment, with the White House saying in a statement that Ban assumes his role at a time of great challenge and opportunity at the United Nations. "We will rely on his leadership to help steer the UN Organization through the reforms already underway, and to propel the organization even further on the path of reform," the White House stressed.
Ban recommended by Security Council
Ban's appointment was a mere formality after the powerful 15-member Security Council recommended him as Annan's successor on Monday; an event overshadowed by North Korea declaring it had conducted a nuclear test.
His election coincides with a major international crisis over North Korea's nuclear program and he somberly welcomed his nomination by the Security Council Monday just after Pyongyang's nuclear announcement.
"This should be a moment of joy. But instead, I stand here with a very heavy heart," he said.
Ban was the only remaining candidate in the race for the coveted, high-profile job after six other contenders withdrew.
Annan passes on the "impossible job"
Annan congratulated his successor, hailing him as "a man with a truly global mind" with "exceptional qualifications."
And he repeated the greeting made more than 50 years ago by the first UN secretary general, Norway's Trygve Lie, to his Swedish successor, Dag Hammarskjold: "You are about to take over the most impossible job on Earth."
"While that may be true, I would add: this is also the best possible job on Earth," Annan said.
Ban rose to prominence talking tough on North Korean issues. With 33 months in office, he is one of South Korea's longer-serving foreign ministers -- surviving the sometimes turbulent diplomacy on the divided peninsula.
Ban will take up his post in January after 68-year-old Annan steps down on December 31 after completing two five-year terms.
Other contenders for the job were Indian diplomat Shashi Tharoor; Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga; former Thai deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai; Jordan's UN ambassador Prince Zeid al-Hussein; Sri Lankan diplomat Jayantha Dhanapala and Afghanistan's former finance minister Ashraf Ghani.