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Good morning everyone and welcome to the first Global Social Media Conversation
with the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.
I'm Juju Chang and I'm honoured and delighted to be here
just a few days before world leaders gather for the annual UN General Assembly,
to put your questions to the Secretary-General.
And we are going through Facebook,
LiveStream, Twitter and the UN Webcast page.
We're also being simultaneously interpreted
into Chinese to be shown on Weibo.
Over the past weeks
we've given people around the world
the opportunity to send in questions
about the United Nations and about the Secretary-General specifically.
And it's not too late to send in your questions
because we will be taking some live during our broadcast.
But before we begin,
I want to share with you a short video showing us
what it's actually like to be the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
So clearly it's not easy being the world's top diplomat.
Welcome to the conversation, Secretary Ban Ki-moon.
Thank you, it's a great pleasure
to see you and participate in global conversation with you.
Well, I appreciate you being here.
And as you know we're going to be live streamed
on Facebook and across social networks
so we're very excited to be here today.
It's a great pleasure again.
Thank you very much
and I would like to express my thanks
to everybody who is now taking part in this.
As you know world leaders are heading to the United Nations
for our General Assembly next week.
This will be the biggest week and month for me.
Now I would like to have this opportunity
to discuss with you on all the matters
which you may have questions.
So if you have a question don't hesitate to ask me.
You may tweet, you may text,
you may invite your friends to join us.
Absolutely,
and you know we did put out an all call
using social media
and so this has become thousands and thousands of questions
which have poured in,
in the past few weeks.
Can I ask you some of what we heard over and over again
and the phrasing might be a little bit different,
but many of the questions hit the same points.
So here we go, are you ready?
The first question is from Serge Laurens
and he wrote to us in Spanish on Twitter
and he asks:
"When is the UN going to be reformed?
When will there be a UN that really matches today's world needs?"
It's a very pointed question.
Very important.
Very big questions.
Of course I know that
when the United Nations is composed of 193 Member States
coming with all different backgrounds and perspectives and ideas
it takes sometimes a long time to make a decision.
That is why we believe that there are some areas
for us to improve how the United Nations can better
serve the interest and needs of
billions of people around the world.
We are feeding at least 100 million people a day.
And we are taking care of 35 million refugees around the world.
And to fight against climate change
we are planting one billion trees a year.
Then of course,
for children's health,
we have vaccinated 40 percent of our children
all these are some of which we do every day.
I have some good cards that I can show you.
This is everyday what United Nations is does.
I cannot repeat it all.
Peace and Security is also very important.
We are maintaining 120,000 soldiers
around the world wherever,
whenever there are conflicts.
We have 15 missions,
such missions around the world now.
Then to make this organization more effective and efficient
is our great challenge,
and great target as Secretary-General.
we have been trying to make this organization
much more mobile, efficient and accountable and transparent.
You have so many priorities
and so many different issues to tackle globally.
I want to get to our next question which comes from China actually.
More than 50 percent of the social media questions came from Weibo.
And here is one from Maggie Zhang who asks:
The food produced every year is abundant enough
to feed all the populations of the world,
but why are there so many people in Africa who die of hunger each year?"
It was such a compelling question.
That's a very thoughtful question Maggie.
I thank you.
it's true that we have at least a billion people
who are starving from abject poverty.
They go to bed hungry every night and that's very sad.
But ironically,
we have enough food all around the world
the question and problem is that
they do not distribute it fairly.
That's a social injustice that we have to address and stop.
At the same time there are many small holder farmers
who do not have the seeds or fertilizers,
or whose lands are affected by climate change,
a long spell of drought or flooding.
All these kinds of situation cause a shortage of food
depending upon where you are living.
That really makes a problem.
That is why I have established a global task force
where all the United Nations agencies and also World Bank
and International Monetary Fund, and the OECD,
and African Development Bank are participating.
I have convened 20 such task force meetings
during the last two and a half years to address this issue.
We are providing good seeds,
resistant to weather and fertilizers
articularly to small holder farmers.
We are working very closely with World Bank
and other development banks.
Clearly that is to fight the poverty trap.
I want to move on to a slightly different issue which has to do,
as you say,
with peace and security which is such a priority for the UN.
Another question comes in from Tylane Martin,
from France and he asks:
"Why does it take so much time to reach a decision here at the UN?
It always seems that it's the civilians
who are suffering on the frontlines."
Protecting the lives of the civilian population
is our top priority.
As the United Nations consists of 193 Member States,
sometimes it takes time.
There are very long decision-making process.
That's what we are really trying to shorten
and expedite deployment of peacekeeping soldiers.
But that decision should be taken
by the Security Council and Member States.
Once that decision is made,
we expedite the deployment of soldiers
and provide the necessary equipment and train them.
We have 120,000 soldiers around the world
in 15 different conflict zones,
and they are protecting human lives,
they are providing support for humanitarian workers
who really are engaged in providing humanitarian assistance.
You have stepped up the response time for emergency relief.
Yes, we have a Central Emergency Response Fund
that is quite quick and efficient.
Because of this long,
taking time when there is a tsumani,
or natural disasters, or earthquake,
there is no time to raise money
and there is no time to discuss this matter
at the United Nations General Assembly.
In such case,
I decide with my Humanitarian Coordinator within 24 hours,
or maximum 48 hours
we send the humanitarian assistance to the disaster area.
Clearly, rapid response saves lives.
Yes, that is the most effective and rapid response.
That's fantastic,
okay thank you for that one Mr. Secretary-General.
We have a lot of questions on this next subject.
It's very hard hitting -
no easy questions on social media.
People are very concerned about corruption.
Stephane Belizaire wrote to us from Canada to ask:
Mr. Secretary-General,
how do you intend to fight corruption
that plagues our States and destroys the well-being of our societies?"
and Christopher Snyder from the United States says
he often hears about fraud within the United Nations itself
and he wants to know what is being done to stop it.
Corruption is the cancer of our society.
We must stop and prevent this one.
And I really hate corruption.
When you deserve to get something
then when your money or assistance are robbed,
that's again injustice.
That's totally unacceptable.
Despicable.
That is why the United Nations has a convention against corruption,
that is the strongest tool
that we have and we try to apply all throughout the world.
We have what is known as a UN compact.
Through this we try to ask business CEOs
to run their business in a transparent,
and corruption free manner.
We are trying to talk to the world leaders,
to enhance their good governance.
When there is corruption in the institution
it undermines the development project
and this undermines all the aspects of our society
and that is why the UN places the highest priority
to eliminate, to eradicate this corruption.
It's clearly a high priority for you.
Ethical good practices are important.
At the same time,
we also try to keep our work transparent within the UN Secretariat,
that is why I have established an ethics office,
and that is why we are strengthening oversight capacity.
Those are great initiatives internally here at the UN.
Changing gears to a more practical question,
we have one in Spanish over twitter from R. Isabel Garcia, from Colombia.
She wants to know:
How can someone find work here at the UN?
That's very good,
we like to have many young people,
men and women join the United Nations.
This is the place where you work for humanity.
We have a very good programme called the YPP,
Young Professional Programme.
Through this we are welcoming qualified
and very distinguished young people
who are committed,
who have a strong sense of mission to work for humanity.
You know it would be wonderful
for everyone to come and work at the United Nations
but, clearly young people,
perhaps because it's a social media conversation,
a lot of the conversation,
a lot of the questions came from young people
and people wanted to know
how you can get young people engaged in peacemaking,
a specific question came in on twitter from,
Kc Caravana from the Philippines who writes,
Mr. Secretary-General,
how can we,
the youth, maintain peace and order in our simple ways?
Youth can be the leaders of tomorrow,
but what has happened this year,
I realise that they have already become leaders of today
look at the case in the Arab World and North Africa
where many young people who really went out on the streets
and asking for their legitimate rights
and their legitimate aspirations to their government leaders
and they were the initiators of this revolution.
And certainly young people are using social media as a tool.
They are using social media and tweeting, and texting,
by doing that they have the power to mobilise this social force.
Therefore we are very much engaging with the youth.
Youth will be one of the top priorities
of my second term as Secretary General in the coming five years.
That's very gratifying to hear.
We are moving on to a different issue
which is ongoing at the United Nations,
we heard from a Palestinian woman over Twitter.
Her name is Alia Alkhozondar who wants to know,
what can the UN do
in order to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?
It's very sad that the Palestinian people
have not been able to have their legitimate right
to have their own State.
I am a strong supporter
nd committed supporter for this two state vision,
where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side
in peace and security.
And by which through negotiations
the Palestinians can have an independent,
sovereign and viable state.
This is their dream and their aspiration.
And I sincerely hope that
here should be a negotiation immediately starting even now
so that this will give them their dream.
Do you sense momentum in the region?
Unfortunately at this time,
the momentum has not created much.
s a member of the Quartet,
I have been working very hard
and I have been addressing this issue with leaders
in the Arab and leaders of other major world leaders.
As the General Assembly is going to begin soon,
I am sure that world leaders will come to the United Nations,
I hope that this issue
will be more seriously dealt with by world leaders.
We're going to change gears again,
consider more of the social aspect
of this social media conversation
because a lot of people wanted to know a bit more
about your personal life.
This question comes from China,
the question is what your dream was
when you were young
and what have been the keys to your success?"
And that question comes from Haobaobao from China.
As you know I am a Korean,
I come from a once devastated,
by the Korean war.
Very poor, nothing to eat, nothing to do.
I thought that when I was a young student,
what should I do for my country?
I thought that I should do for my country
by becoming a public servant.
Then for me a very important opportunity came
when I was a high school student.
I was invited by the American Red Cross
and I travelled around the United States
for about a month
and finally I was given the opportunity
of meeting President John F. Kennedy
at that time in 1962.
Really.
That was the most inspiring moment for me.
My eyes were opened wide
and I thought at that time
that I had better be a diplomat of Korea
to work for the well-being and prosperity
and stability of my country.
That is what I have realised
and having served as Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea,
later I thought of doing some greater good
as Secretary-General of the United Nations.
I am very much honoured
to serve this great organisation
for peace, security, world development and human rights
as the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
I happen to know that you are a very active
and devoted grandfather,
we have another question from China,
from the social media network Weibo
it¡¦s from *** YOON-TING who asks:
You are quite busy all day long.
So, what do you do after work?
I don¡¦t have much time.
Because I spend almost seventeen to nineteen,
twenty hours working all day.
I have very limited time,
five hours, or sometimes four hours,
and I really try to have some dialogue with my family,
particularly with my grand children.
They are adorable and they really give me inspiration
and great energy
whenever I talk and meet with the grand children.
My hat is off to your hard working
and long suffering wife, Mrs. Ban as well.
One of the major symbols of the United Nations,
that I am wearing today,
light blue and the light blue helmets,
in light of some of the recent controversy
involving peacekeeping troops,
what is your view of their position now throughout the world?
Unfortunately, we have experienced so many
conflicts around the world particularly in conflict areas,
the developing world,
the Middle East,
and Africa or Latin America,
in Asian countries, all the places.
I have been urging world leaders
to look at the broader picture of world peace,
without minding their local issues,
if they look at the broader national
and regional and global issues,
then they can be more flexible,
they can give in and they can compromise all their problems.
Unfortunately, the reality on the ground
has not been solved.
That is why we are keeping all these peacekeepers,
eeping all these warring parties apart
and, monitoring elections and trying to provide humanitarian assistance,
trying to protect lives and the human rights
of women and girls and children.
They are the most vulnerable group of people
when it comes to conflict zone.
So the UN places high priority in protecting human lives,
particularly vulnerable groups, like women and girls.
There is so much important work that peacekeepers do
but I know you wanted to talk a little bit
about the conduct as well in terms of
the zero tolerance policy that you feel very strongly about
I have made it zero tolerance.
No *** violence.
No *** discrimination.
And I have launched a campaign
called Unite to End violence against Women
and this is widely supported and widely implemented now.
That¡¦s fantastic.
Well we are going to go to a live question.
While we have been talking
a lot of questions have been coming in.
One came in on Twitter from Jennifer Schell
from Venezuela who asks
what is necessary to achieve greater gender equality?
And could you talk about women
who bear the brunt of the violence in armed conflict
which is very relevant to what you were just saying
and I happened to be here to witness your launch
of the UN women which I think is very important.
This is a very important issue for world peace
and development and human rights
and for all humanity.
We have been using all this necessary resources
but, the least utilised resources are women now.
We have seven billion people half of them are women,
if not more.
Women should be given at least the equal rights.
That is our philosophical commitment.
The United Nations, this year, January this year,
established UN Women.
This is a super agency dealing with womens¡¦
gender empowerment, gender equality,
this is quite an important achievement which we have made.
We have tried to lead by example.
I have been doubling the number of
senior women position holders in the UN Secretariat.
And I know Michelle Bachelet,
the former President of Chile, was installed.
Yes, Ms Bachelet
who was the former President of Chile
is now leading the UN Women.
And another area of the gender equality
is to protect the women from *** violence.
As I said I have initiated many campaigns,
Unite to End the Violence against Women,
unfortunately many women¡¦s human rights are abused in conflict areas
and, I have been urging them
to establish zero tolerance policies
and many countries are responding very positively
to these campaigns.
That's great.
Well we have more live questions coming in.
We even put out questions on ABCNEWS.Com,
one just came in from Barbs Stephan on facebook to the UN,
she asks with regard to the MDGs,
don't you think they should be reviewed as,
since they were put in place,
other problems have arisen
a lot of time has gone by
and they are just as important
that definitely need to be addressed.
Millennium Development Goals
is a blueprint adapted by the world¡¦s leaders
in 2000
with a target date of 2015
to reduce by half the number of abject poverty
and to promote gender equality,
to provide primary education to many millions and millions of children
and to eliminate ***/AIDs,
all these eight very important pillars.
Now we only have four years left
whether it can be achieved or not,
there have been a lot of discussions
but, now still now,
I believe that with strong political will
and commitment and with reasonable financial support,
it can be achieved.
Now the United Nations has asked me to come up
with a proposal by 2013
on what should be done post 2015.
Suppose we, even though we admit
that we will be 100% implementing these MDGs
it will mean that half will be done of our target,
because we are aiming to cut by half,
the number of poverty by 2015,
there are many other issues still to be done
- climate change, still we have to do.
So we are now seriously reviewing
and trying to think about post 2015.
This is part of the review.
Every year I have to report to the General Assembly.
You have many things on your to do list for sure
and priorities are so important.
And we have a question coming in from Africa
as well about Africa,
Kerry Dimmer of South Africa tweeted,
what is it going to take for African countries to lift themselves
from negatives of corruption,
conflict, poverty and other social ills?
It's a big question.
Often Africa is known as
they have so many problems.
It may be true
but Africa is a continent of hope and potentiality.
Therefore, we have to fully explore and cultivate
this potentiality of Africa
o that they can overcome the abject poverty
and they can overcome all these prevalent diseases.
And also,
we can help them to overcome their political differences
coming out of these conflicts.
It needs help from our side of the world.
The MDGs should be the most important political tool
to help them overcome all these challenges.
The African challenge is the number one priority
for me as the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Without addressing the African challenge
at this time
ou cannot claim that you have been successful.
Right and famine and conflict are plaguing Somalia right now.
Somalia has been on our agenda for a long time,
for at least 20 years.
And it¡¦s very sad that
in the area of the Horn of Africa,
including Somalia,
12 million people are suffering from this humanitarian crisis.
I sincerely hope that the international community
will provide generous humanitarian assistance
to the people suffering from this poverty.
And, as far as,
when it comes to the security situation,
the transitional government has made good progress
and the United Nations is doing our utmost
to provide the peace and security
and development and humanitarian assistance.
As we have been chatting,
the blogosphere has been going
and one of the people caught up in it is our famed chef
from England, Jamie Oliver,
known as the naked chef,
and he asks,
over 35 million people die of non-communciable diseases every year.
How can we reduce it?
This is again a totally unacceptable situation.
People are dying slowly
from these non-communicable diseases
which are all treatable and curable.
That is why the United Nations is convening
the High Level Summit meeting from next week
at the General Assembly.
This is for the first time in the history of the United Nations
that we are having this high level meeting
and we are paying high priority on
preventing non-communicable diseases.
This can be cured by medical support,
this can also be prevented by simply changing your life style,
your life behaviour
There is obesity, there is diabetes, and all these,
you can change your lifestyle ¡V
drinking, alcoholism, or smoking,
by stopping this again you can save your life.
Lifestyle diseases ¡V
that¡¦s very true.
That¡¦s an issue that¡¦s dear to Jamie Oliver¡¦s heart.
We have another question that¡¦s coming in
from Brazil - Antonio Teixeira wants to know,
does the UN see a link between climate change
and the deterioration of basic conditions for decent living
in the poorest regions of the world?¡¨
It¡¦s a very profound question.
Yes, my answer is a resounding yes.
It has very close relationship.
Climate change is impacting every aspect of our life.
That is why the United Nations and I,
as Secretary-General,
have been taking this at the top of the global agenda
during the last five years.
We must have a globally binding agreement
as soon as possible.
It has a lot of impact,
water scarcity, food insecurity issues,
and energy and global health issues.
And even all aspect issues,
aspects of our lives have been affected.
It¡¦s clearly a transnational issue
which is a hallmark of the United Nations.
Transnational problems, I should suspect,
require multinational solutions.
Yes, yes. This is a global challenge.
Not a single country, or group of countries,
however powerful,
however resourceful they may be,
they cannot do it.
We have to have collective resources
and collective power to address this global challenge.
And the United Nations is putting the highest priority
On sustainable development including climate change,
addressing food insecurity which we have discussed,
water scarcity, gender empowerment,
all these are interconnected.
Right
a lot of issues as I say
your to do list is very long.
We want to give you an opportunity
to express your final thoughts
because we are coming into the final few minutes
of our broadcast but during this time
I want you to know that
thousands of people have been listening in
and contributing to the conversation
and we hope to continue the conversation on-line afterwards.
But for now Mr. Secretary-General your closing thoughts.
I sincerely hope
that even though our conversation has been brief
it has helped all of the viewers and listeners
to understand more what the United Nations is doing.
The United Nations is your United Nations
and we are working very hard to meet the expectations
of billions of people around the world
who need our help.
I came from Korea,
devastated by war,
and the United Nations used to be a beacon of hope for us.
They built our country and they fed our people.
That's why I am now able to serve as Secretary-General,
then I really want to give the same sense of hope
this beacon
the United Nations being a beacon of hope
to all the people who really need it
¡V providing humanitarian assistance,
maintaining peace and security,
and providing developmental assistance
and also protecting human rights
so that everybody can live without any fear
from hunger or threat and security,
everybody can live with dignity.
And the United Nations is committed to work
to make this world better for all.
Well, I know I am far from alone in being grateful
and able to sleep better at night
knowing that all the women and men here
at the United Nations
are working to make the world a better place.
I want to thank you for your time
Mr. Secretary-General.
And in an effort to keep us both connected and united,
please be aware that this broadcast
will also soon be available for on demand access
on the UN Webcast page
in the UN's six official languages.
that's all we have time for today.
Good luck at the General Assembly
I know you have a lot to put on your agenda
and a lot to discuss
and I love that the United Nations is
so hip with all the social media.
So thanks so much for joining in this global conversation today.
Thank you.
It has been a great pleasure
and privilege for me to participate in this global conversation
thank you.
Thank you.