Monday, June 6, South Korea’s Ban Ki-moon has formally requested the Security Council of the United Nations to support his candidacy for a second five-year term as Secretary General of the organisation. Ban was immediately supported by France, as French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe praised him “very strong experience and authority.”
“As we approach the end of my term as Secretary-General [December 31, 2011], I humbly submit my name for consideration by members of the Security Council for a second term, ” Mr. Ban wrote in a letter to the Ambassador of Gabon, Messone Nelson, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council in June.
Ban Ki-moon, who will be 67 years next week, has succeeded Ghanaian Kofi Annan in 2007. His term expires December 31, 2011.
The Security Council should approve his application, which will then be a vote of the General Assembly by the end of June. “It’s a great thing for the UN. He has experience, authority, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to multilateralism, ” said a UN diplomat.