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UN General Assembly elects Joseph Deiss as president
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-11 23:35
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UNITED NATIONS - Former Swiss president Joseph Deiss on Friday was elected to take up the annual presidency of the 192-nation UN General Assembly.
At a plenary session of the world body, Deiss, president of the Swiss Confederation in 2004, was elected by acclamation.
Deiss was nominated by the Group of Western European and Other States (WEOG) as the sole candidate for the post, which he will officially assume at the opening of assembly's 65th session in New York on September 14.
The post of General Assembly president rotates between the five UN regional groups -- Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC), Africa, WEOG and Asia. The General Assembly's 65th Session will run from September 14, 2010 until September 13, 2011.
Deiss will succeed Ali Abdussalam Treki of Libya, elected last year after endorsement by the Group of African States. This will be the first time for a national of Switzerland to hold the presidency.
Deiss has served on the Swiss Federal Council in several key positions.
While serving as Swiss foreign minister from 1999-2002, Deiss led a successful campaign on Switzerland's accession to the United Nations. The country joined the UN in late 2002.
Speaking after Deiss' election, Treki expressed hope that his successor will "carry forward our collective endeavor and further advance the important work of the General Assembly."
"His prospective, having served as minister of foreign affairs and also minister of economy of Switzerland, will certainly be able to guide and benefit the discussions related to the host of issues and challenges of peace and security, development and human rights, which are at the heart of our agenda," Treki said.
"Mr Deiss advocated and led his country's accession campaign to the United Nations. This is a strong indication of his support for multilateralism and for this organization," Treki said. "And I hope that this will contribute our ongoing efforts to further strengthen the United Nations."
Deiss' priorities
For his part, the president-elect, 64, said the new post represents both an honor and a challenge.
"The mission of the united nations is to protect the dignity, security and well-being of all humans," Deiss told UN delegates at the General Assembly Hall. "This honor for Switzerland, gives me great joy and represents a personal challenge for me."
"I promise you all that I will worthy of the mandate of president of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly, which you have entrusted."
Deiss outlined his priorities in his upcoming one-year term.
In September, the assembly will open with a debate on "a fundamental issue," to review progress achieved in realizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight anti-poverty targets that world leaders have agreed to achieve by 2015.
"These goals remind us that poverty is multifaceted and needs to be combated on many fronts. The commitment of the international community is particularly important at this time," he said.
The international community need to consider how to ensure progress in anti-poverty endeavors in face of the economic and financial crisis, he said.
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Climate change, food security, the reconstruction and strengthening of fragile and post conflict states are other major issues that will be dealt with, he said.
"The search for lasting solutions to these challenges will require governance that better reflects the new balances of power in the world as well as more efficient work of the United Nations, " he said.
"The ideals of the Red Cross, humanitarian aid and disarmament are all issues close to my country's heart. They are highlighted in Geneva and we will be dealing with them during this 65th session," Deiss added.