Always favoured expanding UN Security Council: Ban Ki-moon

United Nations: Terming the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a negating document on Security Council reform as a process in the right direction, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for expanding the Council to make it more broadly representative, democratic and transparent.

"And on Security Council reform, I think I have always favoured expanding the Security Council in order to make it more broadly representative and democratic and transparent," Ban told reporters here yesterday in a? press briefing ahead of the 70th General Assembly session.

"The world has changed and considering such huge, dramatic changes in the international community, the Security Council should also be able to adapt to this changing situation."

He said he has taken note that the General Assembly has adopted the resolution to continue text-based negotiations on reforms in the current session.

I "think this kind of process, even though it has been taking long and very slow process, is, I think, the right direction", Ban said.

He said that with the 70th anniversary of the UN, Member States have been pushing for accelerating institutional reforms, including the Security Council.

In terms of revitalising the General Assembly, member states have adopted a resolution in making its role in selecting and appointing the Secretary-General process in a more transparent and more representative way, he added.

"So we are making a lot of changes in terms of efficiencies and accountability, transparencies of change management of the United Nations," he said.

On being asked if his successor should be a woman, Ban said "it is high time" for Member States to discuss and consider such an aspiration.

"...I have been hearing a lot of voices coming from many quarters of the world, saying that this is the time for a woman - a qualified, accomplished and leadership woman should lead this United Nations," Ban said.
"As I'm very much committed to gender empowerment and gender equality, and as I'm the eighth Secretary-General, male, then I think it is high time for Member States to discuss and consider this kind of aspiration of many people.

"It's not only women or female...Women community. Many people are asking for that. But as the Secretary-General at this time, while I recognise that there are many qualified, experienced, and committed women leaders, it's entirely [up to] Member States of the United Nations to decide who should be the best person who will lead this organisation," he said.

Ban further said he will convene a high-level meeting on September 30 to mobilise a "humane, effective and rights-based response" to a global crisis that has seen 60 million people flee their homes by an unprecedented number of brutal conflicts, the breakdown of basic governance and mounting economic despair.

In less than 10 days world leaders will gather at UN Headquarters for general debate of the 70th session of the General Assembly at "a time of turmoil and hope", he said.

"Turmoil - because conflicts have deepened in so many places, and civilians are paying the price," he said.
"Hope - because a historic number of world leaders will gather here to forge solutions and adopt an inspiring new development agenda."