This is a Korean name; the family name is Ban. A Korean name consists of a Family name followed by a Given name, as used by the Korean people in both North Korea and South Korea

Ban Ki-moon 반기문/潘基文
8th Secretary-General of the United Nations
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 1, 2007
Preceded by	Kofi Annan
Born	June 13, 1944 (1944-06-13) (age 64)[1] Eumseong County, Chungcheongbuk-do
Nationality	South Korean
Spouse	Yoo Soon-taek
Alma mater	Seoul National University

Ban Ki-moon (born June 13, 1944, Korean: 반기문/潘基文) is the current Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Kofi Atta Annan, GCMG (born 8 April 1938 is a Ghanaian Diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Eumseong County ( Eumseong-gun) is a county in North Chungcheong Province South Korea. Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong is a province in the centre of South Korea. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval Seoul National University ( SNU) is a national Research university in Seoul, South Korea. A Korean name consists of a Family name followed by a Given name, as used by the Korean people in both North Korea and South Korea Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated The Revised Romanization of Korean is the official Korean language Romanization system in South Korea. McCune-Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language Romanization systems along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

Before becoming Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in charge of diplomacy for South Korea, as well as handling external trade and matters related to overseas Korean He entered diplomatic service the year he graduated from college, accepting his first post in New Delhi. Diplomatic service is the body of Diplomats and Foreign policy officers maintained by the Government of a Country to communicate with the governments New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. In the foreign ministry he established a reputation for modesty and competence.

Ban was the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea from January 2004 to November 2006. A minister for foreign affairs, or foreign minister, is a governmental cabinet minister who helps form the Foreign policy of a sovereign nation South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː In February 2006 he began to campaign for the office of Secretary-General. Ban was initially considered to be a long shot for the office. As foreign minister of Korea, however, he was able to travel to all of the countries that were members of the United Nations Security Council, a manoeuvre that turned him into the campaign's front runner.

On October 13, 2006, he was elected to be the eighth Secretary-General by the United Nations General Assembly. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members On January 1, 2007, he succeeded Kofi Annan, and passed several major reforms regarding peacekeeping and UN employment practices. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Kofi Atta Annan, GCMG (born 8 April 1938 is a Ghanaian Diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations Diplomatically, Ban has taken particularly strong views on global warming, pressing the issue repeatedly with U. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the S. President George W. Bush, and Darfur, where he helped persuade Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to allow peacekeeping troops to enter Sudan. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The War in Darfur is a military conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan. Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir ( Arabic: عمر حسن أحمد البشير born January 1 1944) is the President of Sudan. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa.

Background

Childhood

Ban, the oldest of six children, was born in Eumseong in a small farming village in North Chungcheong, in 1944, while Korea was controlled by Japan. Eumseong County ( Eumseong-gun) is a county in North Chungcheong Province South Korea. Chungcheongbuk-do (North Chungcheong is a province in the centre of South Korea. Korea under Japanese rule refers to the period between 1910 and 1945 when Korea was forcibly annexed by the Japanese Empire. When he was three, his family moved to the nearby town of Chungju, where he was raised. Chungju is a city in North Chungcheong province South Korea. Namsan is a mountain located in the city ^[2] During Ban's childhood, his father had a warehouse business, but the warehouse went bankrupt and the family lost its middle-class standard of living. When Ban was 6, his family fled to a remote mountainside for the duration of the Korean War. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the ^[1] After the war, his family returned to Chungju. The U.S. military troops in Korea were the first Americans whom Ban ever met. The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States ^[3]

Education

In secondary school Ban became a star pupil, particularly in his studies of English. According to local stories, Ban would regularly walk 6 miles (9. 7 km) to a fertilizer factory to practice English with the factory's American advisors. ^[2] In 1952, he was selected by his class to address a message to then UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, but it is unknown if the message was ever sent. Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld ( (29 July 1905 &ndash 18 September 1961 was a Swedish Diplomat, Christian mystic, and the second Secretary-General In 1962, Ban won an essay contest sponsored by the Red Cross and earned a trip to the United States where he lived in San Francisco with a host family for several months. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an International humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide who stated The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city ^[4] As part of the trip, Ban met U. S. President John F. Kennedy. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of ^[1] When asked by a journalist at the meeting what Ban wanted to be when he grew up, he said "I want to become a diplomat. "^[3]

Ban received a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Seoul National University in 1970, and earned a Master of Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1985. A bachelor's degree is usually an Undergraduate Academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three four or in some cases and Seoul National University ( SNU) is a national Research university in Seoul, South Korea. The Master of Public Administration ( MPA or MPA) degree is one of several Master's level professional public affairs degrees that The John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (also known as Harvard Kennedy School and HKS) is a Public policy and ^[3] At Harvard, he studied under Joseph Nye who remarked that Ban had "a rare combination of analytic clarity, humility and perseverance. Joseph S Nye Jr (born 1937 is the co-founder along with Robert Keohane, of the International relations theory neoliberalism developed in their 1977 "^[4]

According to his curriculum vitae, in addition to his native Korean, Ban speaks English, French, German, and Japanese. This article is mainly about the spoken Korean language See Hangul for details on the native Korean writing system English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities There have been questions, however, regarding the extent of his knowledge of French, one of the two working languages of the United Nations. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[5]

Family

Ban Ki-moon met Yoo Soon-taek in 1962 when they were both high school students. Ban was 18 years old, and Yoo Soon-taek was his secondary school's student council president. Ban Ki-moon married Yoo Soon-taek in 1971. They have three adult children: two daughters and a son. His eldest daughter, Seon-yong (born 1972), works for the Korea Foundation in Seoul. The Korea Foundation ( Korean: 한국국제교류재단 Hanja: 韓國國際交流財團 was established in 1991 by the South Korean National Assembly His son, Woo-hyun (born 1974), is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, studying for a master's degree in business administration. The University of California Los Angeles (generally known as UCLA) is a public research university located in Westwood Los Angeles, California, United His youngest daughter, Hyun-hee (born 1976), is a field officer for UNICEF in Nairobi, Kenya. The United Nations Children's Fund (or UNICEF) was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946 Nairobi (naɪˈroʊbɪ is the capital and largest city of Kenya. ^[1] After his election as Secretary-General, Ban became an icon in his hometown, where his extended family still resides. Over 50,000 gathered in a soccer stadium in Chungju for celebration of the result. In the months after his appointment, thousands of practitioners of feng shui went to his village to determine how it produced such an important person. Feng shui ( ˈfəŋˌʃueɪ fehng-shway in English is an ancient Chinese system of Aesthetics believed to utilize the Laws of both heaven (astronomy and earth (geography ^[2] Ban himself is not a member of any church or religious group^[6] and has declined to expound upon his beliefs, telling the press "Now, as Secretary-General, it will not be appropriate at this time to talk about my own belief in any particular religion or God. So maybe we will have some other time to talk about personal matters. "^[7] His mother is reportedly Buddhist. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices ^[2]

Personality

Ban's personality has been described by many as sort of bland. In the Korean Foreign Ministry his nickname was Ban-chusa, meaning "the Bureaucrat" or "the administrative clerk". The name was used as both positive and negative: complimenting Ban's attention to detail and administrative skill while deriding what was seen as a lack of charisma and subservience to his superiors. ^[8] The Korean press corps calls him "the slippery eel" for his ability to dodge questions. ^[3] His demeanor has also been described as a "Confucian approach". Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B ^[9]

Ban's work ethic is well-documented. His schedule is reportedly broken into five-minute blocks; Ban claims to sleep for only five hours a night and never to have been late for work. During the nearly three years he was foreign minister for South Korea the only vacation he took was for his daughter's wedding. ^[4] Ban has said that his only hobby is golf, and he plays only a couple of games a year. ^[1]

At the 2006 UN Correspondents' dinner in early December, after being elected Secretary-General, Ban surprised the audience by singing a version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", with the lyrics "Ban Ki-moon is coming to town" instead. " Santa Claus Is Coming to Town " (sometimes with Coming changed to Comin') is a Christmas song. ^[10] A major aim of Ban's campaign for UN Secretary-General and a focus of his early days in office was allaying concerns that he was too dull for the job. ^[11]

Diplomatic career

Ban Ki-moon with Condoleezza Rice

After graduation from university, Ban received the top score on Korea's foreign service exam. Condoleezza Rice (born November 14 1954 is the 66th United States He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May 1970, and worked his way up the career ladder during the years of the Yusin Constitution. The foreign relations of South Korea are dominated by its relationships with North Korea, Japan, China and United States. The Fourth Republic of South Korea was the government of the country from 1972 to 1979 replacing the Third Republic of South Korea. ^[4]

His first overseas posting was to New Delhi where he served as vice consul and impressed many of his superiors in the foreign ministry with his competence. New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. Ban reportedly accepted a posting to India rather than the more prestigious United States, because in India he would be able to save more money, and send more home to his family. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ^[12][13] In 1974 he received his first posting to the United Nations, as First Secretary of the South Permanent Observer Mission (South Korea only became a full UN member state on September 17, 1991). Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. ^[14] After Park Chung Hee's 1979 assassination, Ban assumed the post of Director of the United Nations Division. Park Chung-hee ( November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was a former ROK Army general and the autocratic dictator of the Republic

In 1980 Ban became director of the United Nation's International Organizations and Treaties Bureau, headquartered in Seoul. Seoul ( soʊl is the Capital and largest City of South Korea. ^[13] He has been posted twice to the Republic of Korea embassy in Washington, D.C. Between these two assignments he served as Director-General for American Affairs in 1990–1992. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D In 1992, he became Vice Chairman of the South-North Joint Nuclear Control Commission, following the adoption by South and North Korea of the Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, Physical geography See also Geography of North Korea, Geography of South Korea Mountains cover 70 percent of the Korean Peninsula and arable plains are ^[12] From 1993–1994 Ban was Korea's deputy ambassador to the United States. He was promoted to the position of Deputy Minister for Policy Planning and International Organizations in 1995 and then appointed National Security Advisor to the President in 1996. ^[13] Ban's lengthy career overseas has been credited with helping him avoid South Korea's unforgiving political environment. ^[9]

Ban was appointed Ambassador to Austria in 1998, and a year later he was also elected as Chairman of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO PrepCom). An ambassador is the highest ranking Diplomat who represents their country Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO is an International organization that will be established upon the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear During the negotiations, in what Ban considers the biggest blunder of his career, he included a positive statement about the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in a public letter with Russia in 2001, shortly after the United States had decided to abandon the treaty. The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty ( ABM Treaty or ABMT) was a treaty between the United States of America and the Soviet Union on the limitation Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The United States of America —commonly referred to as the To avoid anger from the United States, Ban was fired by President Kim Dae-jung, who also issued a public apology for Ban's statement. Kim Dae-jung (Born December 3, 1925, kim tɛdʑuŋ is a former South Korean president and the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient ^[1]

Ban was unemployed for the first and only time in his career and was expecting to receive an assignment to work in a remote and unimportant embassy. ^[1] In 2001, during the 56th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Republic of Korea held the rotating presidency, and to Ban's surprise, he was selected to be the chief of staff to general assembly president Han Seung-soo. Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members Dr Han Seung-soo (born December 28, 1936 in Gangwon-do) is a Korean Politician and Diplomat. ^[15] In 2003, the new Korean President Roh Moo-hyun selected Ban as one of his foreign policy advisors. Roh Moo-hyun (nomuʝʌn (born in August 6, 1946 in Kimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea is a former President of South Korea ^[13]

Foreign Minister of Korea

Ban Ki-moon with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

In 2004, Ban replaced Yoon Young-kwan as foreign minister of Korea under president Roh Moo Hyun. The President of the Republic of Indonesia ( Presiden Republik Indonesia) is the Head of State as well as the Head of the Government of the Republic General (Ret Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (born September 9, 1949) is an Indonesian retired military general and the sixth President of Indonesia Yoon Young-Kwan (born January 12, 1951, Korean: 윤영관 Hanja: 尹永寬 is a South Korean academic Roh Moo-hyun (nomuʝʌn (born in August 6, 1946 in Kimhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea is a former President of South Korea ^[3] At the beginning of his term, Ban was faced with two major crises: in June 2004 Kim Sun-il, a Korean translator, was kidnapped and killed in Iraq by Islamic extremists; and in December 2004 dozens of Koreans died in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Kim Sun-il ( September 13, 1970 &ndash c June 22, 2004) was a South Korean Translator who was kidnapped Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of Ban survived scrutiny from lawmakers and saw an upturn in his popularity when talks began with North Korea. ^[13] Ban became actively involved in issues relating to inter-Korean relationships. ^[12] In September 2005, as Foreign Minister, he played a leading role in the diplomatic efforts to adopt the Joint Statement on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue at the Fourth Round of the Six-Party Talks held in Beijing. A minister for foreign affairs, or foreign minister, is a governmental cabinet minister who helps form the Foreign policy of a sovereign nation The six-party talks aim to find a peaceful resolution to the security concerns as a result of the North Korean nuclear weapons program. ^[16][17]

As foreign minister, Ban oversaw the trade and aid policies of South Korea. This work put Ban in the position of signing trade deals and delivering foreign assistance to diplomats who would later be influential in his candidacy for Secretary-General. For example, Ban became the first senior South Korean minister to travel to the Congo, since its independence in 1960. The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo Kongo: Repubilika ya Kongo; Lingala: Republiki ya Kongó) also known as Congo-Brazzaville ^[18]

Awards

Ban has been awarded the Order of Service Merit by the Government of the Republic of Korea on three occasions: in 1975, 1986 and 2006. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː ^[16] For his accomplishments as an envoy, he received the Grand Decoration of Honour from the Republic of Austria in 2001. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich He has received awards from many of the countries with which he has worked diplomatically: the government of Brazil bestowed the Grand Cross of Rio Branco upon him, the government of Peru awarded him Gran Cruz del Sol Sun, and the Korea Society in New York City honored him with the James A. Van Fleet Award for his contributions to friendship between the United States and the Republic of Korea. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The Korea Society is a private nonprofit nonpartisan 501(c(3 organization with individual and corporate members that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness understanding The City of New York The General James A Van Fleet Award given annually since 1995 by The Korea Society, is awarded “to one or more distinguished Koreans or Americans ^[19]

Campaign for Secretary-General

See also: United Nations Secretary-General selection, 2006

2007 Secretary-General candidates[20]
	Name	Position
	Ban Ki-moon	South Korean foreign minister
	Shashi Tharoor	UN Under-Secretary-General for public information; from India
	Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga	President of Latvia
	Ashraf Ghani	Chancellor of Kabul University, Afghanistan
	Surakiart Sathirathai	Deputy prime minister of Thailand
	Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein	Jordan's ambassador to the United Nations
	Jayantha Dhanapala	Former Under-Secretary-General for disarmament; from Sri Lanka

In February 2006, Ban declared his candidacy to replace Kofi Annan as UN Secretary-General at the end of 2006, becoming the first South Korean to run for the office. An election was held in 2006 to succeed Kofi Annan, whose second term as Secretary-General of the United Nations expired on 31 December 2006 Shashi Tharoor ( Malayalam: ശശി തരൂര്‍ born 9 March 1956 in London) was an Indian Diplomat at the United Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga (also known as Vaira Vikis-Freibergs; born December 1, 1937 in Riga, Latvia) was the 6th President of Dr Ashraf Ghani is the Chairman of the Institute of State Effectiveness an organization set up in January 2005 to promote the ability of states to serve their citizens Kabul University ( - Dāneshgāh-e Kābul; Pashto: دکابل پوهنتون Surakiart Sathirathai (สุรเกียรติ์ เสถียรไทย born June 7, 1958, Bangkok) was until September 19 2006 a Deputy Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein born 26 January 1964 in Amman, Jordan to Prince Ra'ad bin Zeid head of the Royal house of Jayantha Dhanapala is a member of the Board of Sponsors of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Kofi Atta Annan, GCMG (born 8 April 1938 is a Ghanaian Diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations ^[21] Though Ban was the first to announce a candidacy, he was not originally considered a serious contender. ^[4]

Over the next eight months, Ban made ministerial visits to each of the 15 countries with a seat on the Security Council. ^[3] Of the seven candidates, he topped each of the four straw polls conducted by the UN Security Council: on July 24,^[22] September 14,^[23] September 28,^[24] and October 2. A straw poll or straw vote is a vote with nonbinding results Straw polls provide important interactive dialogue among movements within large groups reflecting trends like organization Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus. Events 48 BC - Pompey the Great is assassinated on orders of King Ptolemy of Egypt after landing in Egypt. Events 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule ^[25]

During the period in which these polls took place, Ban made major speeches to the Asia Society and the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. The Asia Society is the leading global and pan-Asian organization whose mission is to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people leaders and institutions of The Council on Foreign Relations ( CFR) is an American Nonpartisan foreign policy membership organization founded in 1921 and based at 58 East 68th Street (at ^[26][27] To be confirmed, Ban needed not only to win the support of the diplomatic community, but be able to avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members of the council: People's Republic of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Ban was popular in Washington for having pushed to send South Korean troops to Iraq. But Ban also opposed several U. S. positions: he expressed his support for the International Criminal Court and favored an entirely non-confrontational approach to dealing with North Korea. The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against ^[3] Ban said during his campaign that he would like to visit North Korea in person to meet with Kim Jong Il directly. Kim Jong-il (also written as Kim Jong Il) (born 16 February 1941 Vyatskoye, Soviet Union; official biographies state 16 February 1942 Baekdu ^[17] Ban was viewed as a stark contrast from Kofi Annan, who was considered charismatic, but perceived as a weak manager because of problems surrounding the UN's oil-for-food program in Iraq. ^[8]

Ban also struggled to win the approval of France. His official biography states that he speaks both English and French, the two working languages of the UN Secretariat. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people He has repeatedly struggled to answer questions in French from journalists. ^[5] Ban has repeatedly acknowledged his limitations at French, but assured French diplomats that he was devoted to continuing his study. At a press conference on January 11, 2007, Ban remarked, “my French perhaps could be improved, and I am continuing to work. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. I have taken French lessons over the last few months. I think that, even if my French isn't perfect, I will continue to study it. ”^[28]

As the Secretary-General election drew closer there was rising criticism of the South Korean campaign on Ban's behalf. Specifically, his alleged practice of systematically visiting all member states of the Security Council in his role as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade to secure votes in his support by signing trade deals with European countries and pledging foreign aid to developing countries were the focus of many news articles. Aid (from the french word aide, also known as international aid, overseas aid, or foreign aid, especially in the United States) is Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties ^[29] According to the Washington Post, "rivals have privately grumbled that Republic of Korea, which has the world's 11th-largest economy, has wielded its economic might to generate support for his candidacy". The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D Ban reportedly has said that these insinuations are "groundless". In an interview on 17 September 2006 he stated: "As front-runner, I know that I can become a target of this very scrutinizing process," and "I am a man of integrity. Events 1176 - The Battle of Myriokephalon is fought 1462 - The Battle of Świecino (or Battle of Żarnowiec Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "^[30]

In the final informal poll on October 2, Ban received fourteen favorable votes and one abstention ("no opinion") from the fifteen members of the Security Council (the polls were secret, but the US Representative to the UN John R. Events 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule Bolton later remarked that it was Japan who abstained). More importantly, Ban was the only one to escape a veto; each of the other candidates received at least one "no" vote from among the five permanent members. ^[31] After the vote, Shashi Tharoor, who finished second, withdrew his candidacy^[32] and China's Permanent Representative to the UN told reporters that "it is quite clear from today's straw poll that Minister Ban Ki-moon is the candidate that the Security Council will recommend to the General Assembly. Shashi Tharoor ( Malayalam: ശശി തരൂര്‍ born 9 March 1956 in London) was an Indian Diplomat at the United A Permanent Representative is the head of a Diplomatic mission to one of various International organisations The most high-profile of the organisations to which "^[33]

On October 9, the Security Council formally chose Ban as its nominee. Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. In the public vote, he was supported by all 15 members of the council. ^[34] On October 13, the 192-member General Assembly acclaimed Ban as Secretary-General. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members An acclamation, in its most common sense is a form of Election that does not use a Ballot. ^[15]

Term as Secretary-General

Ban Ki-moon with George W. Bush. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States.

When Ban became Secretary-General, The Economist listed the major challenges facing him in 2007: "rising nuclear demons in Iran and North Korea, a haemorrhaging wound in Darfur, unending violence in the Middle East, looming environmental disaster, escalating international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the spread of HIV/AIDS. The Economist is an English-language weekly news and International affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Darfur (دار فور daar foor, lit "realm of the Fur " is a region in Sudan. A weapon of mass destruction ( WMD) is a weapon which can kill large numbers of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures (e And then the more parochial concerns, such as the largely unfinished business of the most sweeping attempt at reform in the UN's history. "^[35] Before starting, Kofi Annan shared the story that when the first Secretary-General Trygve Lie left office he told his successor, Dag Hammarskjöld, "You are about to take over the most impossible job on earth. Trygve Halvdan Lie ( ( July 16, 1896 &ndash December 30, 1968) was a Norwegian politician Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld ( (29 July 1905 &ndash 18 September 1961 was a Swedish Diplomat, Christian mystic, and the second Secretary-General "^[15]

On January 23, 2007 Ban took office as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ban's term as Secretary-General opened with a flap. At his first encounter with the press as Secretary-General on 2 January 2007, he refused to condemn the death penalty imposed on Saddam Hussein by the Iraqi High Tribunal, remarking that “The issue of capital punishment is for each and every member State to decide. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30 ” ^[36] Ban's statements contradicted long-standing United Nations opposition to the death penalty as a human rights concern. ^[37] He quickly clarified his stance in the case of Barzan al-Tikriti and Awad al-Bandar, two top officials who were convicted of the deaths of 148 Shia Muslims in the Iraqi village of Dujail in the 1980s. Barzan Ibrahim al-Hasan al-Tikriti ( February 17 1951 – January 15, 2007) (sometimes known as Barazan Ibrahim al-Tikriti and Barasan Ibrahem Awad Hamad al-Bandar (عواد حمد بندر السعدون aka Awad Hamad Bandar Alsa'doon ( January 2, 1945 - January 15, 2007) was an Dujail ( Arabic: الدجيل; alternate spelling Ad Dujayl) is a small Shiite town in the Salah ad Din Governorate. In a statement through his spokesperson on 6 January, he “strongly urged the Government of Iraq to grant a stay of execution to those whose death sentences may be carried out in the near future. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King ” ^[38][11] On the broader issue, he told a Washington, D. C. audience on January 16, 2007 that he recognized and encouraged the “growing trend in international society, international law and domestic policies and practices to phase out eventually the death penalty. Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ”^[39]

On the tenth anniversary of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot's death, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed April 15, 2008 for the senior leaders of the regime to be brought to justice. The Khmer Rouge (ខ្មែរក្រហម Kmae Krɑhɑɑm was the Communist ruling political party of Cambodia &mdashwhich it renamed Saloth Sar ( May 19, 1925 – April 15, 1998) also known as Pol Pot, was leader of the Communist movement known as The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia-tribunal, which was established by both the United Nations and Cambodia, which became operational in 2006, is expected to continue until at least 2010. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for the Prosecution of Crimes Committed During the Period of Democratic Kampuchea, commonly known as Cambodia Tribunal The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East For the film see 2010 The Year We Make Contact. For the book see 2010 Odyssey Two. ^[40]

Cabinet

In early January, Ban appointed the key members of his cabinet. As his Deputy Secretary-General he selected Tanzanian foreign minister and professor Asha-Rose Migiro, a move that pleased African diplomats who had concerns of losing power without Annan in office. In 1997 United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced a series of reforms at the United Nations, including the creation of the post of Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya Asha-Rose Mtengeti Migiro (born July 9, 1956 in Songea, Ruvuma Region, Tanzania) is a Tanzanian lawyer and politician ^[41]

The top position devoted exclusively to management, Under-Secretary-General for Management, was filled by Alicia Bárcena Ibarra. Alicia Isabel Adriana Bárcena Ibarra is a Mexican Biologist who currently serves as the United Nations Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission Ibarra was considered a UN insider, having previously served as Annan's chief of staff. Her appointment was seen by critics as an indication that Ban would not make dramatic changes to UN bureaucracy. ^[42] Ban appointed Sir John Holmes, the British Ambassador to France, as Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs and coordinator of emergency relief. Sir John Holmes, GCVO, KBE, CMG, was born in Preston in the north of England in April 1951 The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator is a high level position in the United Nations that heads the Office for the Coordination ^[42]

Ban initially said that he would delay making other appointments until his first round of reforms were approved, but he later abandoned this idea after receiving criticism. ^[43][11] In February he continued with appointments, selecting B. Lynn Pascoe, the U. B Lynn Pascoe is the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Political Affairs. S. ambassador to Indonesia, to become Under-Secretary-General for political affairs. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, a French diplomat, who had served as Under-Secretary-General for peacekeeping operations under Annan remained in office. Jean-Marie Guéhenno (born 30 October 1949 in Paris) is a French diplomat Ban selected Vijay K. Nambiar as his chief of staff. Vijay Nambiar is a veteran Indian diplomat and the Chef de Cabinet (Chief of Staff under UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon since 1 January 2007 ^[44]

The appointment of many women to top jobs was seen as fulfilling a campaign promise Ban had made to increase the role of women in the United Nations. During Ban's first year as Secretary-General more top jobs were being handled by women than ever before. Though not appointed by Ban, the president of the General Assembly, Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, is only the third woman to hold this position in UN history. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa (born October 18, 1952) ( is a lawyer and diplomat from Bahrain who was the President of the 61st session ^[45]

Early reforms

During his first month in office, Ban proposed two major restructurings: to split the UN peacekeeping operation into two departments and to combine the political affairs and disarmament department. His proposals were met with stiff resistance from members of the UN General Assembly, who bristled under Ban's request for rapid approval. The proposed merger of the disarmament and political affairs offices was criticized by many in the developing world, partially because of rumors that Ban hoped to place American B. Lynn Pascoe in charge of the new office. Alejandro D. Wolff, then acting American ambassador, said the United States backed his proposals. Alejandro Daniel Wolff is an American diplomat who was the acting U ^[11][43]

After the early bout of reproach, Ban began extensive consultation with UN ambassadors, agreeing to have his peacekeeping proposal extensively vetted. After the consultations, Ban dropped his proposal to combine political affairs and disarmament. ^[46] Ban nevertheless pressed ahead with reforms on job requirements at the UN requiring that all positions be considered five-year appointments, all receive strict annual performance reviews, and all financial disclosures be made public. Though unpopular in the New York office, the move was popular in other UN offices around the world and lauded by UN observers. ^[47] Ban's proposal to split the peacekeeping operation into one group handling operations and another handling arms was finally adopted in mid-March 2007. ^[48]

According to The Washington Post, "some U. The Washington Post is the largest and most circulated Newspaper in Washington D N. employees and delegates" expressed resentment at Ban's perceived favoritism in the appointment of South Korean nationals in key posts. Elitism is the belief or attitude that those individuals who are considered members of the Elite &mdash a select group of people with outstanding personal abilities intellect Previous U. N. chiefs such as Kurt Waldheim (Austria), Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (Peru) and Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt) brought small teams of trusted aides or clerical workers from their country's Foreign Ministry. Kurt Josef Waldheim ( 21 December 1918 – 14 June 2007) was an Austrian Diplomat and Politician. Javier Pérez de Cuéllar de la Guerra (born January 19, 1920, in Lima) is a Peruvian Diplomat who served as the fifth Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali ( Arabic: بطرس بطرس غالي Coptic: Ⲃⲟⲩⲧⲣⲟⲥ Ⲃⲟⲩⲧⲣⲟⲥ Ⲅⲁⲗⲏ (born November 14, 1922 But according to "some officials" in the Post story Ban has gone further, boosting South Korea's presence in U. N. ranks by more than 20 percent during his first year in office. In response, Ban and his aides have claimed that allegations of favoritism are wrong, and that some of the harshest criticisms against him have undercurrents of racism. List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that He said that the South Korean nationals he had appointed—including Choi Young-jin, who has served as a high-ranking official in the United Nation's peacekeeping department—are highly qualified for their positions. ^[49]

Key issues

The Secretary-General of the United Nations has the ability to influence debate on nearly any global issue. Although unsuccessful in some areas, Ban's predecessor Annan had been successful in increasing the UN peacekeeping presence and in popularizing the Millennium Development Goals. UN observers were eager to see on which issues Ban intends to focus, in addition to reform of the United Nations bureaucracy. ^[35]

On several prominent issues, such as proliferation in Iran and North Korea, Ban has deferred to the Security Council. ^[48] Ban has also declined to become involved on the issue of Taiwan's status. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. In 2007, the Republic of Nauru raised the issue of allowing the Republic of China (Taiwan) to sign the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru, is an Island nation in the Micronesian South Pacific. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ( CEDAW) is an international Ban referenced the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, and refused the motion. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 of 25 October 1971 recognized the representatives of the People's Republic of China (PRC as "the only On July 19, 2007, the President of the Republic of China wrote to request admission into the UN by the name Taiwan. Events 711 - Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad defeat the Visigoths led by their king Roderic. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ban immediately rejected the request. ^[50]

Global warming

U. S. President George W. Bush talks with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː In their early meetings, Ban stressed the importance of confronting global warming.

Ban early on identified global warming as one of the key issues of his administration. Global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of the In a White House meeting with U. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence S. President George W. Bush in January, Ban urged Bush to take steps to curb greenhouse gas emissions. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Greenhouse gases are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere bothnatural and anthropogenic that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared On March 1, 2007 in a speech before the UN General Assembly Hall, Ban further emphasized his concerns about global warming. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Ban stated, "For my generation, coming of age at the height of the Cold War, fear of nuclear winter seemed the leading existential threat on the horizon. Nuclear winter is a term that describes the climatic effects of nuclear war. But the danger posed by war to all humanity—and to our planet—is at least matched by climate change. "^[51]

Middle East

On Thursday, March 22, 2007, while taking part in the first stop of a tour of the Middle East, a mortar attack hit just 80 meters (260 ft) from where the Secretary-General was standing, interrupting a press conference in Baghdad's Green Zone, and visibly shaking Ban and others. Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. See also General Secretary. A number of International organizations, Communist parties and other bodies use the title Secretary Baghdad (بغداد) is the Capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is also coterminous The Green Zone (the common name for the International Zone of Iraq is a 10 km² (4 mile² area in central Baghdad that was the center of the Coalition Provisional No one was hurt in the incident. ^[52] The United Nations had already limited its role in Iraq after its Baghdad headquarters was bombed in August 2003, killing 22 people. Ban said, however, that he still hoped to find a way for the United Nations to "do more for Iraqi social and political development. "^[53]

On his trip, Ban visited Egypt, Israel, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, where Ban attended a conference with leaders of the Arab League and met for several hours with Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the Sudanese president who had resisted UN peacekeepers in Darfur. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir ( Arabic: عمر حسن أحمد البشير born January 1 1944) is the President of Sudan. ^[48] While Ban met with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, he declined to meet with Ismail Haniya of Hamas. Mahmoud Abbas (محمود عباس (born March 26, 1935) also known by the kunya Abu Mazen (ابو مازن was elected President Ismail Haniyeh ( Arabic: إسماعيل هنية sometimes transliterated as Ismail Haniya or Ismail Haniyah) (born January 1963 is a Ḥamas (ar حركة حماس acronym ar حركة المقاومة ^[54]

Ban Ki-moon criticized Israel on March 10, 2008 for planning to build housing units in a West Bank settlement, saying the decision conflicts with "Israel's obligation under the road map" for Middle East peace. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Israeli settlements are communities inhabited by Israelis in territory that was captured as a result of Jordanian attacks during the 1967 Six-Day War. ^[55]

Darfur

Ban took the first foreign trip of his term to attend the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2007 as part of an effort to reach out to the Group of 77. The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53  African Addis Ababa (sometimes spelled Addis Abeba, the spelling used by the official Ethiopian Mapping Authority Amharic NOTE This intro is the result of careful NPOV work Please do not make potentially controversial edits to it without first discussing on the talk page The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of Developing nations designed to promote its members' collective Economic interests and create ^[35] He repeatedly identified Darfur as the top humanitarian priority of his administration. ^[48] Ban played a large role, with several face-to-face meetings with Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, in convincing Sudan to allow UN peacekeepers to enter the Darfur region. This page contains a list of presidents and other heads of state of Sudan. Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir ( Arabic: عمر حسن أحمد البشير born January 1 1944) is the President of Sudan. On July 31, 2007 the United Nations Security Council approved sending 26,000 UN peacekeepers into the region to join 7,000 troops from the African Union. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53  African The resolution was heralded as a major breakthrough in confronting the Darfur conflict (although many countries have labeled the conflict a "genocide," the United Nations has declined to do so). The War in Darfur is a military conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan. Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction in whole or in part of an ethnic racial religious or national group The first phase of the peacekeeping mission began in October 2007. ^[56]

Myanmar

Ban Ki-moon flew to Myanmar on May 25, 2008 to guide a conference with international agencies aimed at boosting donations for the nation, which was struck by Cyclone Nargis on May 2, 2008. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Cyclone Nargis ( JTWC designation 01B, also known as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Nargis) was a strong Tropical cyclone that caused Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The conference was initiated after Ban had met with Than Shwe, the leading figure of Myanmar's government May 23, 2008. Senior General Than Shwe (သန်းရွှေ θáɴ ʃwè born 2 February 1933 is Head of State of Myanmar (Burma serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Ban toured the devastation -- especially in the hard-hit Irrawaddy Delta -- May 23, 2008 and May 24, 2008. The Irrawaddy Delta or Ayeyarwady Delta lies in the Irrawaddy Division, the lowest expanse of land in Burma that fans out from the limit of tidal influence Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Myanmar officials agreed to allow the Yangon International Airport to be used a logistical hub for aid distribution. Yangon International Airport (, located in Mingaladon at 15 km north of downtown Yangon, is the primary international airport of Myanmar and the second largest ^[57]

References

External links

• Secretary-General – Official United Nations profile, statements, reports, press briefings
• Ban Ki-moon interview with Charlie Rose on February 14, 2007
• Ban Ki-moon interview with Dennis Wholey on February 23, 2006
• New Era in the UN - A quick sketch of the pre-eminent diplomat - Ki-moon Omedia
• Profile of Ban Ki-moon, by Ioannis Michaletos
• South Korean Ban Ki-moon set to become UN Secretary-General – includes an interview conducted by the Asia Society's AsiaSource with the new UN Secretary-General, on September 26, 2006. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Charlie Rose (born Charles Peete Rose Jr, on January 5, 1942) is an American TV interviewer and journalist Events 842 - Charles the Bald and Louis the German swear the Oaths of Strasbourg in the French and German Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Dennis Wholey (born July 2, 1939, Cranston Rhode Island) is an American Television host and producer, and the Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
• Change at the Helm - Change for the Whole Ship? Reports by the news agency Inter Press Service about the United Nations and its new Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
• U.N.'s Ban Ki Moon emerges as dogged reformer By Howard LaFranchi, The Christian Science Monitor