World AIDS Day: As the world heads into the fourth decade of AIDS, it is finally in a position to end the epidemic, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, leading a chorus of United Nations officials in calling for the political will, investments and determination to reach this goal. “Momentum is on our side. Let us use it to end AIDS – once and for all,” Mr. Ban said in his message for World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December each year.
Speaking at the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan in the Republic of Korea, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged countries today to fulfill their aid commitments and invest in the world’s poor, adding that success will only be attained if donors unite their efforts and ensure their financial support is accountable, flexible and country-driven. Mr. Ban said governments must not let the global economic crisis keep them from supporting those most in need.
Middle East peace process: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today led a chorus of United Nations officials in stressing the need for a just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine and achieving a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. “The establishment of a Palestinian State, living in peace next to a secure Israel, is long overdue,” Mr. Ban said, in a message marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which is observed annually on 29 November.
