Ban Ki-moon photo: VCG
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he plans to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics as chairman of the Ethics Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a recent interview with Chinese media. He is confident that the Chinese government and people will overcome the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully host the Winter Games, Ban said.
Ban said he was happy that the 2008 Beijing Olympics were so successful and that he believes the Beijing Winter Olympics will be “a great success in promoting peace and harmony in the world.” .
This year marks the 50th anniversary of China’s reestablishment of its legal seat at the United Nations. As a former UN Secretary General, Ban said that “China’s reestablishment of legal siege is a milestone in the history of the UN.” Since then, the UN has grown into a universal organization in terms of size and content with the restoration of the siege by China.
Ban praised China’s contribution to the UN over the past 50 years. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has worked hard to make the Council more effective. China has also played a crucial role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ban noted.
Ban said China played a decisive role in the Paris Agreement negotiation process in 2015. And China’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2060 sent an encouraging signal to other countries. .
Ban was a little disappointed with the results of the COP 26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, UK, as member states made a weak decision on how to deal with climate change and they didn’t were unable to agree on how to provide funds. support for developing countries, he told Chinese media.
To address global challenges such as climate change, Ban stressed that all parties must transcend political divisions to build strong partnerships. He believes China has made many important promises and is confident that China will be able to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. He called for more multilateral cooperation between China and other countries. In particular, he stressed that the achievement of the 2015 Paris Agreement is inseparable from Sino-American cooperation.
The world is facing serious challenges such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the most serious challenge in world affairs is the weakening of multilateralism. “We have witnessed a rising trend of ‘my country first mindset’ in recent years,” Ban said.
Multilateral cooperation is not something a country can do on its own. It requires the collective will and wisdom of all. It also requires a sense of the common goals that the UN stands for, Ban said.
Ban accepted the interview ahead of the 2021 Congdu International Forum, which is being held in Guangzhou, southern China’s Guangdong Province, December 5-6. More than 160 representatives of political, academic and business sectors from more than 30 countries and regions participate in the forum, including Ban and other former heads of state and heads of organizations.
