KOFI ANNAN: AT THIS TIME OF ALL TIMES, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE DIVIDED

Noyan Tapan
Oct 23 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
sent a message on October 24, on the occasion of the United Nations
Day. It is, particularly, said in the message submitted to Noyan
Tapan by the UN Armenian Office: "For the tenth and last time as
Secretary-General, I offer friends and colleagues around the world
my best wishes on United Nations Day. I have spent almost my whole
professional life working for the United Nations – so this day, and
the values that it stands for, will always be special for me. Over
the past ten years, we have made some big steps forward in our common
struggle for development, security and human rights. Aid and debt
relief have increased, making the world economy somewhat fairer. At
last, the world is scaling up its response to HIV/AIDS. There are
fewer wars between States than there used to be; and many civil wars
have ended. More Governments are elected by, and accountable to,
the people whom they govern. And all States have acknowledged, at
least in words, their responsibility to protect people from genocide,
war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. But there
is so much that still needs doing: – The gap between rich and poor
continues to grow. – Very few countries are on track to reach all
eight of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. – Many people still
face atrocities, repression, and brutal conflicts. – The nuclear
non-proliferation regime requires urgent attention. – Terrorism,
and the reaction to it, are spreading fear and suspicion. It seems we
don’t even agree which threats are most important. Those who live in
small islands may see global warming as the biggest danger. Those who
live in a city that has suffered terrorist attacks (like New York,
or Mumbai, or Istanbul) may feel that confronting terrorism is more
urgent. Others again may cite poverty, disease, or genocide. The
truth is, these are all global threats.

All of us should be concerned about all of them. Otherwise, we
may not succeed in dealing with any of them. At this time of all
times, we cannot afford to be divided. I know that you, the peoples
of the world, understand this. Thank you for all the support and
encouragement you have given me, throughout these ten difficult but
exciting years. Please urge your leaders to work with my successor,
and make the United Nations ever stronger and more effective. Long
live our planet, and its peoples. Long live the United Nations!