New York, US - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday outlined his priorities for his second term in office, which began early this month. In a speech at the UN General Assembly, Ban said: 'Today I want to share with you an action agenda for the coming five years. A plan to make the most of the opportunities before us. A plan to help create a safer, more secure, more sustainable, more equitable future. A plan to build the future we want.'

He said that his 'action agenda' included a focus sustainable development, conflict mitigation, preventing diseases, increasing opportunities for women and girls and other global priorities, as well as harnessing partnerships and strengthening the UN.

He stated: 'Waves of change are surging around us. If we navigate wisely, we can create a more secure and sustainable future for all. The United Nations is the ship to navigate these waters.

'We are the venue for partnerships and action. Now is our moment. Now is the time to create the future we want.'

The secretary-general also said that the UN would work with member states to make Antarctica a World Nature Preserve and that he will appoinnew special representative for youth.

Among the UN chief's other proposals is the convening of a first-of-its-kind World Humanitarian Summit to help share knowledge and establish common best practices, and the creation of a New UN Partnerships Facility to harness the full power of transformative partnerships across the world body.

The UN General Assembly President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser commended Ban for his 'bold, focused and forward-looking action agenda', adding that, 'the content, depth and breadth of his envisaged actions are truly relevant for the effectiveness, efficiency and smooth functioning of the UN'.

'As this universal global body is experiencing the unfolding of a world with all its complexities and challenges, prospects and potentials, I believe the Secretary-General has courageously articulated a set of action points that addresses the way our organization, and in particular this Assembly, needs to respond to an ever-evolving global scene,' he told the 193-member body.

Pana 26/01/2012