• Repair
• Repair
• Interior Design
• About everything
• About plumbing

UN Secretary General: history, biography. Ban Ki-moon goes down in the history of the United Nations UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon said

By the end of next year, the UN General Assembly must elect a new secretary general who can take the helm of this international organization for the next 10 years. Authority current UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon ends on December 31, 2016, which is when his second five-year term expires. The limit on the number of permissible re-elections is not stated anywhere, but this is the way it is: one secretary general is elected only twice. The nomination of candidates for the post of the new UN Secretary General and the discussion of who will replace Ban Ki-moon have already begun.

The election takes place according to the following scheme: all groups nominate their representatives for consideration by the Security Council. He, in turn, selects a specific candidate from among them and submits his candidacy for consideration by the General Assembly. At the same time, any of the permanent members of the Security Council has the right to veto a candidate they do not like.

When electing a new Secretary General, in theory, the so-called regional principle should be taken into account - that is, the leaders of the international organization should represent all regional groups in turn. Only representatives of countries that are permanent members of the Security Council cannot become secretaries general. This is done in order to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one country.

In practice, the regional principle is not respected. For example, the history of the UN has known four secretaries general from the Western European Regional Group ( Gladwin Jebb, Trygve Halfdan Lie, Dag Hammarskjöld And Kurt Waldheim), two - from Asian ( U Thant And Ban Ki-moon), one from South America ( Javier Perez de Cuellar) and two - from Africa ( Boutros Boutros-Ghali And Kofi Annan). Candidates from the Eastern European Group have never managed to lead the organization.

The regional principle is unspoken, and therefore not binding. The principle of gender equality is also not respected. Until now, no woman has been able to lead the UN.

Perhaps this is why there has been talk recently that after Ban Ki-moon, whose powers will end on December 31, 2016, his place will be taken by a woman and a representative of Eastern Europe. No one can confirm or deny this yet, since the candidates submitted for consideration by the Security Council are kept in strict secrecy.

“Eastern Europeans are now very vigorously defending their right to have a person from this regional group become the next UN Secretary-General,” he said last week Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Vitaly Churkin.

He also said that several countries support the idea, without mentioning that the woman must be from Eastern Europe. “It is noteworthy that such an informal group was organized. The group of countries that advocate for a woman to be next is led by the Permanent Representative of Colombia. But it’s hard to imagine that Colombia would fight for it to be a woman from Eastern Europe,” Churkin emphasized. The UK makes similar statements regarding gender, if not equality, then at least diversity. And it is also doubtful that they have specifically an Eastern European woman in mind.

Already, there are about 10 possible candidates from Eastern Europe, Churkin said. The permanent representative did not name the names, since they are still in different stages of nomination, and no official letter on the nomination of a specific candidate has yet been received from any country. “They are all very worthy people. Probably, each of those who have now nominated can be seen in the position of general secretary. So I don't see why the next Secretary General can't be from Eastern Europe. And yes, it would be interesting for it to be a woman for the first time. And indeed, among these candidates there are strong women,” Churkin said.

“This will be quite an interesting process, there are a lot of different intrigues,” added the Russian diplomat.

It must be said that gender equality was remembered in May of this year, when the current UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that he should definitely be replaced by a woman. Previously, the administrator of the UN Development Program was named among possible candidates. Helen Clark, Executive Director of UNESCO Irina Bokova, Presidents of Chile and Lithuania Michelle Bachelet And Dalia Grybauskaite, as well as the Prime Minister of Denmark Helle Thorning-Schmidt.

In addition, at the beginning of the year there was a version that the German Chancellor Angela Merkel so diligently caters to the whims of the United States precisely in order to become the next Secretary General and the first woman to head the UN. German media wrote about this. International expert RT Nejbosa Milic said then that Merkel “is not ready to retire, not ready to stop being in the spotlight, not ready to give up power and influence in the world.” “Her behavior and everything that is happening now fully confirms the rumors in German newspapers that Merkel would like to receive the post of UN Secretary General, which, according to the rules of this organization, will now have to go to a European,” Milic said. To achieve his goal, the German Chancellor needs a “policy of indulgence” with the United States, often to the detriment of his country’s economy. Otherwise, not only will she not stay in the new post for long, but she is unlikely to be able to get it.

Meanwhile, it has been repeatedly pointed out at various international platforms that, by and large, the decision to select a candidate is made by the five permanent members of the Security Council in behind-the-scenes agreements. Today, the Swedish-led Security Council reform group proposes to make the process of electing the Secretary General as transparent and open as possible.

In July, Swiss Ambassador to the UN Paul Zeger stated that "even the election of the Pope is less transparent." According to him, today personnel decisions depend primarily on the United States, China and Russia. “Meanwhile, the Secretary General represents the interests not only of these three powers, but of all UN member countries,” Zeger emphasized.

Ban Ki-moon himself may become the new president of South Korea after leaving the UN.

[literary version]

BAN KI MOON:

“I keep reminding myself that there are many challenges in the world, so every new day I start work as if it were my first day as UN Secretary General...”

Bachelor of International Relations.
Master of Public Administration.
From 1987 to 1990, Counselor, Consul General at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA.
From 1998 to 2000, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Austria.
From 2001 to 2002, representative of the Republic of Korea to the UN.
From 2004 to 2006, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Korea.
Since January 1, 2007, UN Secretary General.

Modern world. Restless. Anxious. Every day people die on the planet. Natural disasters. Hunger. Wars. The 21st century has not spared humanity from armed conflicts, clashes, and coups. It seems that people test their strength every day.

More than 6 billion people living on planet Earth need international institutions that help warring parties reach agreement with each other. Today there are over two thousand international organizations, but for more than half a century the main international structure has been the United Nations. 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the opening of the UN Information Center in Moscow.

Over the years of the UN's existence, 8 secretaries general have been replaced.

Our interlocutor is the 8th Secretary General, prominent Korean diplomat Ban Ki-moon.

Mikhail GUSMAN: Mr. Secretary-General, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to speak with you at the headquarters of the United Nations. What role plays the UN in the modern world?

Ban Ki Moon: The UN deals with three main issues. These are maintaining peace, security and respect for human rights. The UN also deals with all issues that affect modern conflicts and global challenges, from poverty eradication and sanitation to preventive diplomacy.

The UN headquarters building is crowded. The UN Secretariat is located here, where 8,900 employees come to work every day. And another 1,100 journalists have permanent accreditation. Generally, More than 75 thousand employees work in UN system organizations around the world Human. Over 63 years, the number of countries belonging to the UN has increased almost 4 times! Today the UN family consists of 192 states, of which 149 are developing countries, home to 82 percent of the world's population. A representative of every country, even one as tiny as Monaco, can find its flag here!

The Second World War confronted governments with different countries the question of the need to create an international security organization.

February 11, 1945. Yalta. The leaders of three countries - Great Britain, USA and USSR - Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin declared their determination to establish a “universal international organization for the maintenance of peace and security” and announced the convening of the Conference in San Francisco.

1945 25th of April. The last days of the war in Europe. Delegates from 50 countries gather in San Francisco. Different people gather nationalities, religions and continents, determined to create an organization capable of preserving peace and helping create a better life. The delegates are faced with a single common task: to develop a Charter acceptable to all states.

1945 June 25. Two months later. Delegates gather for the last time for a plenary session in the hall of the San Francisco Opera House. The presiding officer, Lord Halifax, presents to the meeting the final draft of the Charter of 111 articles. "We have never “We won’t make a more important decision in life,” he says. In view of the global significance of this event, there is a proposal to retreat from the usual method of voting by show of hands. The question is put to voting - all delegates rise from their seats and continue to stand.

M.G.:What qualities are needed to lead such a complex mechanism as the UN?

P.G.M.: There is no such thing as the hidden, magical power of the Secretary General. I always try to reach an agreement and achieve a result based on consensus. The process of persuasion and dialogue does not stop. Sometimes you have to deal with many issues at the same time. If something is missed, problems and misunderstandings arise, which sometimes affect the authority and trust in the UN.

Representatives of 50 states signed the Charter in alphabetical order. The Chinese delegation arrived first. Its representatives brought their own writing materials - brushes, a stick of dry ink, a mortar and asked for a cup of water. The whole world was waiting for a batch of fresh, thick ink to be prepared. Further there were no delays. Poland, not represented at the Conference, signed the Charter later and became the 51st founding state. From the USSR, the Charter was signed by Andrei Andreevich Gromyko.

1946 January 10. In the Central Hall of the Palace of Westminster in The first General Assembly opened in London.

M.G.:What are the main priorities of the UN now?

P.G.M.: We need to solve the problem of global climate change, develop an approach to the global financial crisis, and help people overcome the food crisis.

Meeting room of the General Assembly. The hall can accommodate 192 delegations - according to the number of UN member countries. Each delegation is allocated six seats - three at the tables for the main delegates and three separately, for deputies. Seats in the hall are distributed as follows: two months before the start of the General Assembly, a basket containing 192 balls is brought to the office of the Secretary General. Each ball bears the name of the country. The Secretary General pulls out one ball. The country indicated on the ball occupies table number one in within one year. Starting from this country, the remaining countries are seated in English alphabetical order.

On January 17, 1946, the first meeting took place in the Palace of Westminster. The Security Council adopted its rules and procedures.

M.G.: The UN Security Council is one of the most authoritative international bodies. What needs to be done to improve its effectiveness activities, and what powers should the Security Council have now?

P.G.M.: The participating countries are close to reaching an agreement that, given the changes that have taken place in the world over six decades, the Security Council should be transformed by expanding its membership. This issue is currently being actively discussed, but a final consensus has not yet been reached.

1946, January 26. The General Assembly adopts its first resolution. Its main themes: peaceful uses of nuclear power energy and the elimination of atomic and other types of weapons of mass destruction. In June of the same year, as one of the ways to implement the decision of the General Assembly, the International Atomic Energy Agency was created.

From the UN Charter. Chapter 15. Article 97: “The Secretariat consists of the Secretary General and such personnel as may be required by the Organization. The Secretary General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. The General Secretary is the chief administrative officer official of the Organization."

On February 2, 1946, at the session of the General Assembly, he was elected the first Secretary General in UN history. He became a diplomat Trygve Halfdan Li, who headed the Norwegian delegation.

1948 December 10. The UN General Assembly adopts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “All people are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and must act towards each other in spirit brotherhood."

“Every person has the right to life, liberty and security of person. These rights belong to you. These are your rights." with this message the United Nations in 1948 addressed citizens around the world.

M.G.:What comes to mind when you think about the day you were elected to the post of UN Secretary General?

P.G.M.: For me personally, it was a great honor. In addition, I realized that this post entails enormous responsibility. I keep reminding myself that the world faces many challenges, which is why I approach each day as if it were my first day as UN Secretary-General.

UN Headquarters. Noon. It is at this time that the regular press briefing begins. It is conducted by an official representative Secretary General for Press Affairs. Journalists find out that takes place in UN missions scattered around the world.

Every day 800 million people go hungry around the world.
150 million children under five years of age are malnourished.
1 billion people live in absolute poverty.
More than a quarter of the world's population lives on less than $1 a year. day.
The UN World Food Program feeds 83 million people in 80 countries every year.

P.G.M.: I strongly support the measures that industrialized countries are taking to overcome financial turmoil, but at the same time we must not lose sight of the plight of the poorest of the poor. I will continue to speak on their behalf and in their interests.

UN Headquarters. Printing house. She works non-stop. Every day, 80 employees from around the world print over 300 documents in 6 official languages ​​- English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Russian and French. Per year from the printing house The UN has 23 million printed pages!

One of the most important subsidiaries is located in Paris UN - UNESCO. She deals with issues of preserving the world cultural heritage. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes 878 sites of “outstanding universal value” across 145 countries.

Among the priorities of the UN Secretary General are humanitarian questions. Including the development of the Russian language as one of the official languages ​​of the UN in the global information space. About this was the conversation at the UN headquarters with the President of the World Russian Press Association, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Vitaly Ignatenko.

1946 The 14th of February. The UN General Assembly decides on the location of the headquarters of the United Nations Nations in the USA. The International Committee receives about 60 applications from different cities and states. But at the end of 1946, John Rockefeller Jr. buys 18 acres of land for $8.5 million Manhattan. According to US law, he does not have the right to donate land organization, therefore offers the UN to rent it for a nominal fee. Since then, once a year the UN transfers 100 dollars per lease of land to the Rockefeller Foundation.

On October 24, 1949, the foundation stone of the current UN Headquarters building in New York was laid. Nineteen months later, on August 21, 1950, Secretariat staff took over their new office premises.

UN Television Studio. Broadcasting is carried out on 4 channels. From here UN staff correspondents transmit breaking news from headquarters to East River to the most remote corners of the globe. Thanks to the studio staff, on the UN website online everyone can watch the debates taking place in the General Assembly and in the Security Council.

M.G.:Speaking of achievements, what you have achieved and what you could achieve,but haven't achieved it yet?

P.G.M.: I am committed to being active on climate change. This question is of decisive importance for all humanity. It affects every aspect of business, affects all citizens of the world and can have far-reaching consequences for the future of planet Earth. This is my number one priority.

Meeting room of the General Assembly. The delegates had just left their seats after the morning meeting. The hall, familiar to millions of television viewers around the world, is unusually deserted. But you can look at the interiors in detail.

The General Assembly met here for the first time at the opening of the seventh regular session on October 14, 1952. Since then The order of the meetings did not change. On the podium in the center sits the Chairman of the General Assembly, to his right is the UN Secretary General, to his left is his deputy. Two monitors constantly show how voting is going on. Special the group provides a list of speakers, regulations are controlled by light bulbs. The speaker on the podium always knows how much time he has to speak. If the red light comes on - limit exhausted!

The President of any country can come to the Assembly and speak during the year.

P.G.M.: Naturally, we do not remove from the agenda all the most important tasks that we have been engaged in and continue to engage in. For example, the humanitarian situation in a number of countries. We have achieved peace and stability in many parts of the planet. We maintain 18 missions in various trouble spots around the world.

Since the first UN peacekeeping mission was deployed in 1948, 130 countries have volunteered nearly one million military and civilian police personnel. They took part in 63 peacekeeping operations. Over the years, a total of two people have died during Blue Helmet operations. with half a thousand people.

P.G.M.: Through the Millennium Development Goals, we must halve the number of people living in poverty by 2015, ensure equal access to primary education, and help prevent many people from developing preventable diseases.

AIDS is rampant in African countries. Number of people infected with HIV annually increases by more than five million. 95 percent of they live in developing countries. The AIDS epidemic affects more than 60 million people. The World Health Organization calls addressing AIDS a public health priority. In recent years, the total cost of fighting AIDS has increased 20-fold.

P.G.M.: Unfortunately, my capabilities are limited; I need full support and cooperation from the rest of the world community. Only this will allow me to fully cope with the responsibilities assigned to me.

The chief administrative officer of the United Nations is named in the Charter as the Secretary-General. His job responsibilities have remained the same for 63 years: to bring to the attention of the General Assembly and the Security Council any problem that may pose a threat to international peace and act as an "arbiter" in disputes between states- members.

In April 2008, the 8th UN Secretary General visited Moscow. Opening the meeting in the Kremlin with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said: “All talk about the UN crisis is not based on anything; on the contrary, the UN should do everything possible support and develop this platform for coordinating interests. Russia will continue to provide all possible support to the UN.”

M.G.:What does the word “power” mean to you, UN Secretary General?

P.G.M.: The real power lies not with the Secretary General, but with the member countries of the United Nations. The participating country gives the Secretary General a mandate. And the Secretary General must justify this mandate. Power is exercised through a process of constant persuasion. I have to deal with 192 countries to come up with the most acceptable solution. In this - and only in this! — and that is the power of the Secretary General.

For 63 years, the United Nations has had no analogues on the planet. She is dedicated to helping make the world a safer and more comfortable place to live. And the UN is achieving its main goal - for more than 60 years the world has lived without global upheaval. But every minute on the planet people die violent deaths. Their lives are taken away by military conflicts, poverty, diseases, natural disasters... Therefore, the main words of the UN Charter and today do not lose their relevance: “We, the peoples of the united nations, are determined to rid future generations of disasters of war, which twice in our lives brought to humanity unspeakable grief, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equality men and women and the equal rights of nations large and small."

MOSCOW, December 31 - RIA Novosti. United Nations (UN) chief Ban Ki-moon is leaving office on Saturday, December 31, after two five-year terms. From January 1, Antonio Guterres from Portugal will become UN Secretary General.

Before assuming the post of Secretary General of the World Organization in 2007, replacing Kofi Annan in this post, Ban Ki-moon was the head of the Foreign Ministry of South Korea. He served as minister for only two years - from January 2004 to December 2006.

The last five years of his leadership at the UN included some of the most difficult crises - Syrian and Ukrainian. Attempts to resolve conflicts and reconcile opposing sides essentially led to nothing.

However, he managed to carry out a number of important reforms to maintain peace and organize the activities of the UN. The website of the World Organization notes that the main directions of his activities as Secretary General were: promoting sustainable development, empowering women, supporting countries in crisis and instability, stimulating new dynamics in the field of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation.

Before leaving office, Ban Ki-moon thanked the UN Security Council by adopting a resolution recognizing his contribution “to ensuring international peace, security and development, his exceptional efforts aimed at solving international problems in the economic, social, environmental and cultural fields.” . It also notes Ban Ki-moon's role in promoting and promoting "respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all."

Members of the Security Council agreed on a statement in which they noted Ban Ki-moon's two main achievements - the adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement, which were the result of "the skill of a negotiator and the insight of a diplomat."

It also notes the "tireless work to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those who desperately need it" and in this regard, the holding of the first International Humanitarian Summit this year. "You have been at the forefront of bringing the issue of refugees and migrants to the forefront of international concern."

UN Child

In his last speech to the UN General Assembly, Ban Ki-moon called himself a "child of the UN." "After the Korean War, UN aid fed us. We learned from UN textbooks. The global solidarity of the UN showed us that we are not alone. For me, the power of the organization has never been abstract," he said.

Ban Ki-moon admitted that he will retain good memories of the UN.

"I will miss working with so many wonderful people at the UN and outside it. I will have many good memories. And even if this is my last chance to take you to lunch, I hope to see you in person in the future," Ban Ki-moon said at the lunch with world leaders on the opening day of the General Political Week of the UN General Assembly.

Unsettled Syria

Despite Ban Ki-moon's efforts to reconcile the opposing sides of the conflict, the crisis in Syria still remains unresolved. The Russian side also had big complaints against the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, who was entrusted with organizing the inter-Syrian dialogue, but who has been unable to resume the negotiation process for more than six months.

Ban Ki-moon himself said that it is with great regret that he is leaving the post of UN Secretary General amid the ongoing conflict in Syria, and called on everyone who has influence in Syria to “put an end to the nightmare.”

"It is with deepest regret that I leave office amid the ongoing nightmare in Syria. I once again urge you all to cooperate and fulfill your shared obligations to protect the people of Syria," Ban Ki-moon said at a Security Council meeting.

In an interview with Russian news agencies at the UN, he also expressed hope that cooperation between Russia and the United States on Syria will continue, despite the difficulties that arise.

Speaking about relations between Russia and the United States in the context of resolving the crisis in Syria, the UN Secretary General noted the personal and working relations of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry, which “have proven their effectiveness in many areas.”

Ban Ki-moon called the agreement to conduct an investigation into the use of chemical weapons one of the most successful examples of such cooperation. He also noted the agreement to establish a ceasefire in Syria, which made it possible to deliver humanitarian aid.

"But, unfortunately, all ceasefires have been violated by the parties - either the government or the Syrian armed groups. This is disappointing, and I have always encouraged them to continue to work based on the principles of humanity. I sincerely hope that such relations, cooperation, even if in In some cases, they had difficulties and will continue in two administrations,” Ban Ki-moon said.

Secretary General for President of South Korea

It is known that Ban Ki-moon intends to return to South Korea from New York in mid-January 2017. It is noteworthy that early presidential elections are due to be held in the Republic of Korea next year due to the impeachment of the country's President Park Geun-hye in connection with a major corruption scandal surrounding her longtime close associate Choi Soon-sil. Now the fate of Park Geun-hye is being decided by the constitutional court, which must make a decision by the summer of 2017, after which the election of a new head of state should take place.

In this regard, talk about the possibility of Ban Ki-moon becoming president of South Korea has intensified. He himself hinted that he intends to stand as a candidate: “If what I have learned, seen and felt during my 10 years as UN Secretary-General helps me move the Republic of Korea forward, I would like to devote myself completely to it.”

However, he never gave a clear answer to the question of whether he would participate in the presidential race, although his name has long been mentioned among possible contenders for the post of head of state of South Korea, where he once served as foreign minister.

According to a public opinion poll reported by RealMeter, Ban Ki-moon is slightly ahead of former South Korean opposition leader Moon Jae-in. According to him, Ban Ki-moon's popularity increased by 2.8% over the week, reaching 23.3% of respondents.

Bribery allegations

However, Ban Ki-moon's departure from the post of UN Secretary General was not so calm. Thus, at the end of December, the Korean publication Sisa Journal reported that Ban Ki-moon received a bribe worth more than 200 thousand dollars from a Korean businessman.

The publication indicates that in 2005, while serving in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Korea, Ban Ki-moon received 200 thousand dollars, and in 2007, when he already served as UN Secretary General, another 30 thousand.

According to the Sputnik agency, the first bribe was handed over by businessman Park Yong Ha during the visit of the Vietnamese delegation to Seoul, where Park Yong Ha was invited as consul general. The businessman arrived an hour earlier and, during a one-on-one meeting, handed over money “for travel expenses.” Ban Ki-moon received the second amount from him in 2007 as a “gift of congratulations on his appointment as UN Secretary General.”

As Sputnik notes, Ban Ki-moon denies these accusations and intends to bring the Korean publication to justice.

Place of Birth. Education. Ban Ki-moon is from the Republic of Korea. He became the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations at the end of 2006, succeeding Ghanaian Kofi Annan. At that time, he had 37 years of experience in the Korean government, as well as in the international arena. Before the vote, all five permanent members of the UN Security Council spoke in favor of Ban Ki-moon taking Annan's place.

He received a bachelor's degree in international relations from Seoul National University in 1970. In 1985, he received a Master of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Career. At the time of his election as Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon was the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of South Korea. Over the course of a number of years of work in the ministry, he was sent to Delhi, Washington, Vienna and was responsible for a number of areas. This included serving as Advisor to the President for Foreign Policy, Chief Advisor to the President for National Security Affairs, Under Secretary for Policy Planning, and Director General of the Americas Division. His work was guided by the vision of a peaceful Korean Peninsula playing an increasingly broader role in restoring peace and prosperity to the region and the world.

Ban Ki-moon has a long-standing relationship with the United Nations, dating back to 1975 when he worked in the UN department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Over the years, work in this area has expanded. He served as First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations in New York, Director of the UN Office at the ministry's headquarters in Seoul, and Ambassador in Vienna. During this period, in 1999, he was also Chairman of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

In 2001-2002 As chief of staff to the President of the General Assembly, who was the representative of the Republic of Korea, Ban Ki-moon facilitated the swift adoption of the first resolution of this session, condemning the terrorist attacks of September 11. He put forward a number of initiatives aimed at strengthening the functioning of the Assembly. Largely thanks to Ban Ki-moon, the session, which began in an atmosphere of crisis and confusion, became very productive, and a number of important reforms were approved.

Actively participated in resolving issues related to relations between the two Koreas. In 1992, as Special Advisor to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Joint North-South Nuclear Control Commission following the adoption of the joint declaration declaring the Korean Peninsula a nuclear-weapon-free zone. In September 2005, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, he took part in negotiations aimed at ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Then, at the six-party talks, a joint statement was adopted on resolving the nuclear issue related to North Korea.

Views and assessments. Ban Ki-moon is no stranger to increased attention to his person. As the BBC notes, he was at the center of events during the confrontation over North Korean nuclear weapons development, when six countries tried to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear plans. However, the negotiations failed and diplomacy did not bring results. This raised doubts about Ban Ki-moon's leadership qualities and his willingness to confront the United States.

Speaking about his tasks as UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon noted that the organization “should promise less and deliver more.” He intended to carry out organizational reform of the UN, which would allow “to regain the trust of member countries.”

A workaholic who did not allow himself a vacation for two years before his appointment as UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon is the personification of a successful Korean official. He reached the top without making enemies, favoring backroom deals rather than grand public gestures.

In South Korea, Ban Ki-moon's appointment was perceived as recognition of his outstanding success in transforming the country from a war-ravaged dictatorial state into one of Asia's prosperous democracies.

Ban Ki-moon had to lead an organization with an annual budget of $5 billion, whose reputation was marred by scandals over the corruption of its representatives.

On October 13, 2016, the UN General Assembly approved the former Prime Minister of Portugal as Secretary General of the organization. Guterres succeeded Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary-General on January 1, 2017.

On September 14, 2017, at the 131st session of the IOC, he was elected Chairman of the Ethics Commission of the International Olympic Committee.

Prizes and awards. Recognized by many national and international prizes, medals and awards. In 1975, 1986 and 2006. he was awarded the highest order of the Republic of Korea - the Order of Merit.

Family. Ban Ki-moon and his wife, Ms. Yoo (Ban) Soon-daek (they met in 1962 when they were high school students) have a son and two daughters.

Ban Ki-moon is the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, who has worked in the diplomatic field for more than 40 years, where he has earned a reputation as a “master of compromise.” His political “trick” is considered to be his ability to reach important agreements behind the scenes without unnecessary public gestures, which made him a professional in the eyes of international society. To a greater extent, the policies and activities of the UN Secretary General are aimed at solving problems with global warming and maintaining peace throughout the planet, in which Ban Ki-moon has achieved considerable success.

Ban Ki-moon was born on June 13, 1944 in the South Korean town of Chungju during the end of Japanese rule in the future Republic of Korea. His parents were poor people, his father was involved in a small family business, and his mother taught music at a local theater studio. The future UN Secretary General became the fourth child in the family, but this did not stop his parents from giving him a good education.

Ban Ki-moon made the decision to become a diplomat at the age of 18 after meeting with the then-current US President as part of a Red Cross project. Communication with the American leader aroused in the young man an interest in politics and international relations, so he firmly decided to become a diplomat.

In 1970, the future UN Secretary General entered Seoul National University at the Faculty of International Relations. Having received a bachelor's degree, the young politician entered Harvard, where Ban Ki-moon demonstrated his desire to thoroughly master the diplomatic field at the highest level. Teachers noted in him a rare combination of humility, clarity of analysis and perseverance, which gave Ban Ki-moon a “start” in world politics.

Policy

Having become a diplomat with a European education, the Master of Public Administration managed to get a position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, where Ban Ki-moon went a long way to high positions in the UN. He first worked as secretary to the South Korean permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, and then headed the UN department in Seoul headquarters. The political biography of the future UN Secretary General was built gradually, Ban Ki-moon worked hard at every step of the career ladder.

Since 1996, the future UN Secretary General worked as an adviser to the country's president on national security, and already in 1999 he became the organizer of the Committee for the Signing of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty around the world. In 2000, Ban Ki-moon was appointed to the post of Deputy Minister for Policy Planning of the United Nations, at the same time heading the office of the President of the General Assembly.

In this post, a number of the achievements of the future UN Secretary General include his active participation in the prompt adoption of a UN resolution on the issue of terrorist attacks in the United States in September 2011. Then he made a lot of important initiatives, which significantly strengthened the functioning of the GA and gained a reputation as a diplomatic professional.

In 2004, Ban Ki-moon began to rapidly move up the career ladder in his homeland and “took off” to become the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Korea. In this post, he seriously dealt with the issue of relations with Pyongyang, adhering to the idea of ​​​​peaceful friendship within the framework of the Agreement signed in 1992 on declaring the Korean Peninsula a nuclear-free zone.

In October 2006, Ban Ki-moon was elected as the eighth Secretary-General of the UN after heated debates, replacing his Ghanaian predecessor Kofi Annan. True, such a career success for the diplomat was overshadowed by the fact that the organization at that time “plunged” into a web of corruption scandals among its members.

But Ban Ki-moon overcame all the obstacles along the way and was able to regain the world's trust in the UN, whose annual budget was $5 billion. In June 2011, Ban Ki-moon was re-elected to a second term and continued to lead the UN until December 21, 2016.

Conflicts and wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and the UN's response to these events have drawn criticism from the international community. Detractors even recalled the words of the Indian Prime Minister that the year the UN was created was also the year when nuclear weapons were used for the first time.

During this period, Ban Ki-moon carried out a number of reforms in the field of UN peacekeeping and the organization of UN activities.

As UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon pays the greatest attention to countering global warming among environmental problems and the Darfur problem among military-political ones. To resolve the latter, the UN chief helped persuade Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to allow peacekeeping troops to enter Sudan.

The politician also took up the issue of protecting women's rights, approved a number of initiatives in this regard and introduced a new post of Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

In 2014, as reported by the online publication Lenta.ru, Ban Ki-moon spoke out during the armed conflict in Ukraine condemning the actions of armed groups and stated that the goal of the UN is to counter militants and terrorists both in Europe and beyond. .

Also in 2014, an allegedly scandalous statement by a politician appeared on the Internet that Ukraine has no historical borders and is only a region of the USSR. This message immediately spread across the blogosphere and social networks, but, as experts assure, this statement is a “canard.” At the session on March 19, where these words were allegedly spoken, the UN Security Council did not even consider the Ukrainian issue.

In 2016, at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Ban Ki-moon, through the actions of the President of the Russian Federation and the work of Russian diplomats, also thanked Russia for its assistance in the Syrian issue.

Also in 2016, Ban Ki-moon spoke out about the harsh election rhetoric and expressed hope that after the elections the president would soften his own course.

Personal life

Ban Ki-moon's personal life is no less interesting than his political career. His only marriage is to aristocrat Yoo (Park) Sundaek, who is 27 years younger than him. The family of the UN Secretary General has three children - two daughters and a son.

In addition to official marriage, according to Eastern laws, every self-respecting man must have a kept woman, which increases his authority in the eyes of relatives and colleagues. It is known that Ban Ki-moon even succeeded in this matter - he has not only Korean, but also European favorites.

In his free time from the UN, the diplomat enjoys martial arts and collects old books with poems from the last imperial period of a unified Korea.

In the family and everyday life, the seemingly reserved politician has a rather stern character. Ban Ki-moon is extremely demanding of those around him, in front of whom he often demonstrates his temper. Ban Ki-moon is considered a tyrant and dictator in the family, but a sociable professional in politics, since during his 40-year career he managed to maintain friendships with all his political rivals and did not make “enemies”.

Ban Ki-moon now

In December 2016, Korean .

The politician himself called the accusations of bribery baseless and outrageous and promised to sue the Korean publication that is spreading slander. Political observers also argue that such bribery rumors could be part of a campaign by rivals to discredit the politician.

On September 14, 2017, at the 131st session of the International Olympic Committee, Ban Ki-moon was elected chairman of the ethics commission of the International Olympic Committee.

On January 1, 2017, Ban Ki-moon resigned as UN Secretary-General. Today, the new UN Secretary General is the representative of Portugal, António Guterres.

Awards and achievements

• 1975, 1986, 2006 - Order of Merit in Service
• 2001 - Great Star of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria
• 2006 - Grand Cross of the Order of Rio Branco
• 2006 - Grand Ribbon of the Order of the Sun
• 2008 - Grand Cross of the National Order of Burkina Faso
• 2008 - Knight of the National Order of Cote d'Ivoire
• 2013 - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Charles
• 2013 - Golden Olympic Order
• 2015 - Honorary Professor of the Russian Academy
• 2016 - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
• 2016 - Order of Friendship
• 2016 - Order of the Legion of Honor