UN chief praises Luxemburg’s commitment on development issues

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets with Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Source:UN News.

22 June 2015 – Currently in Europe, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made an official visit to Luxembourg, where he met with a number of Government officials, including the Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel.

The UN chief conveyed to Mr. Bettel his appreciation for Luxembourg’s important commitment to development aid and the European Union's leadership towards reaching a meaningful agreement on climate change in Paris.

“In addition to exchanging views on efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine, both men had an in-depth discussion on the priorities for Luxembourg’s upcoming Presidency of the EU Council,” according to a readout made available by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson in New York.

Mr. Ban also took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of ensuring a success at the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, set to take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in July, a subject he also discussed with the President of Parliament of Luxembourg, Mars Di Bartolomeo.

Both men had an “in-depth” discussion on the negotiations on the UN post-2015 development agenda and the role of national parliaments in that context, the Secretary-General expressing appreciation for Luxembourg’s “strong and continuous commitment” to development aid.

In addition to discussing climate change, Mr. Ban raised with his interlocutors the issue of migration through the Mediterranean, as well as the European Union’s response to the crisis.

Later in the day, Mr. Ban had an audience with the Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, during which both men reviewed the state-of-play in the negotiations on the UN post-2015 development agenda, along with other issues.

The UN chief thanked Luxembourg for its assistance to Mali and to the Central African Republic, where the UN is actively involved through its peacekeeping operations and, more generally, the “positive and sustained contribution” Luxembourg has made to the UN since its foundation.

The Secretary-General also met today with Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg, Romain Schneider, Minister of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, and Carole Dieschbourg, Minister of Environment.