UNU-WIDER United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visits UNU-WIDER

This week the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon paid a visit to UNU-WIDER’s premises in Helsinki as part of his first official mission to Finland. His Excellency Ban Ki-moon was greeted by UNU-WIDER Deputy Director and Officer-in-Charge Professor Augustin Fosu and then invited to sign the guest book.

Ban Ki-moon signs the guest book.

After greeting each member of staff, the Secretary General was given a formal welcome by Professor Fosu, who said his visit was timely. “We are particularly grateful for your visit, given the gravity of the challenges that face you and the UN, especially at this moment in time.”

A photo opportunity on UNU-WIDER’s balcony overlooking the sea had to be kept short due to the inclement weather.

Following a briefing on the work of UNU-WIDER, Ban Ki-moon expressed his thanks and pointed out that the institute has a key role to play in the current global turndown. “As this institute is more interested in economic development research, I think your analysis and contribution to the current global economic situation will be extremely valuable,” the Secretary General said.

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is presented with a book from UNU-WIDER

Ban Ki-moon added that he was looking to research institutes like UNU-WIDER to use their analytical capacity to promote understanding of the multitude of crises facing the world and to stimulate debate on how to assist the poorest and most vulnerable people, particularly in Africa. “All these global threats are interconnected. So if we are wise enough and smart enough, and if we can pull out the threads that are connecting these crises, then we can find solutions to all. Solutions to one can bring solutions to all the crises,” Mr Ban said.

During his two-day stay in Helsinki the UN Secretary General met President Tarja Halonen, as well as Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Vayrynen. The UN Secretary General also addressed the Finnish Parliament and met former President and Nobel laureate, Martti Ahtisaari.

Ban Ki-moon, from South Korea, was elected eighth head of the UN in October 2006. Mr Ban has had a long affiliation with the world body, dating back to his time as a staff member of the UN division of the South Korean Home Office in 1975. He worked as chairman of the preparatory commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation in 1999 while he was South Korean ambassador to Austria. He also had a key role in the South Korean presidency of the 56th UN General Assembly.

The complete photo gallery of this visit can be seen here.

_{Photos by Alexander Zach}