UN welcomes Ban`s re-election with standing ovation
JUNE 22, 2011 23:22
“No challenge is too large. Together, nothing is impossible.”
The moment his second five-year term was confirmed by the General Assembly, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the world to continue jointly coping with the challenges of the 21st century.
The resolution on Ban’s appointment for a second term was adopted with acclamation at the General Assembly hall of U.N. headquarters in New York at 3 p.m. Tuesday. After General Assembly President Joseph Deiss announced the opening of the assembly to approve Ban’s reappointment, U.N. Security Council President Nelson Messone announced his submission of the resolution recommending the reappointment to the General Assembly, saying all 15 member states of the U.N. Security Council approved.
In an unusual move, the resolution was jointly signed by 20 people, including all 15 Security Council nations and the chiefs of five regional groups. For member states and chiefs of the regional groups to all sign such a resolution is considered rare.
After Deiss said that if no member states opposed Ban’s reappointment, he would approve the resolution through applause, representatives from all 192 member nations packing the General Assembly hall applauded in union to express their support.
This was the moment that the resolution on Ban’s second term was officially approved 15 minutes after the assembly’s opening. No country opposed his reappointment and no competitor faced Ban.
North Korea`s ambassador to the U.N., Shin Sun Ho, was also seen applauding together with representatives from other U.N. member nations.
Deiss then officially said 192 member states unanimously approved the resolution on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s re-election. As Ban entered the General Assembly after being introduced by Deiss, all representatives from member countries, news correspondents and staff members of the U.N. secretariat gave him a standing ovation to welcome him.
Ban shook hands with representatives of member nations who were sitting in the aisles and expressed gratitude with a smile for supporting him. He then took his seat by Deiss at the General Assembly.
Ban Ki-moon , re-election as the UN Secretary General.