UN Day celebrated [Archives:2005/889/Front Page]
BY ADEL AL-KHAWLANI
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
SANA'A- Oct. 24- The United Nations agencies operating in the Republic of Yemen held a ceremony Monday on the occasion of the UN Day, which marks the 60th anniversary of the birth of the United Nations.
The event was staged at the Yemeni Cultural Center in the presence of UN Development partners, senior Yemeni government officials, representatives of international and civil community organizations, media personnel and foreign diplomats working in Yemen.
The UN agencies have reasons both to celebrate and to reflect. This is a day to take pride on all the achievements of the UN family in providing safer and better living conditions for hundreds of millions of people, said the message of the UN General Assembly President.
The ceremony opened with a recitation of some verses from the Holy Qur'an, and then a speech by Ms. Flavia Pansieri, the UN Resident Coordinator.
In her speech, Ms. Pansieri said: “this year has seen heated discussions on reform and the necessity of taking substantial actions.”
“Five years have passed since the meeting of the world leaders at the International Organization's headquarters and their endorsement of the UN Millennium Declaration. The Secretary General of the International Organization presented last March more comprehensive reports on the issue of reform and the UN's future which are of global concern,” Ms. Pansieri went on.
“The UN hosted last month the Millennium Summit that assessed what has been achieved for reaching the Millennium Development Goals. Most of the governments around the world have not fulfilled their promises and this helped expand the gap between the rich and the poor.”
She pointed out the current situation of Yemen's progress toward reaching the Millennium Development Goals does not proceed in the required haste and the UN has to support the Government of Yemen to achieve the sough goals.
“More than once, the Republic of Yemen expressed its commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and now the government works on preparing the third five-year plan for development and poverty alleviation. Through this plan, Yemen designs a strategy for reaching the Millennium Development Goals in the medium extent,” she added.
“The UN Development Program will continue its support for the Yemeni government to improve the system of decentralization through training and capacity building in different districts.”
The ceremony saw a song by children on the UN and the Millennium Development Goals, and then a speech by Ahmad Sufan, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Planning and International Cooperation.
Sufan praised the role played by the UN in many countries all over the world, particularly the least developed ones. He said: “The UN is a real partner in development and I am sure that Yemen will achieve the first Millennium development goal; 'Education for All' in due time.”
Included in the event, there is also the announcement of winners of best youth drawings on the work of the UN and the MDGs, the distribution of recognition certificates, the launch of the special edition of the postal stamps on the UN's 60 anniversary and the MDGs, as well as the exhibition of children's drawings and the iftar reception.
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