Relief Efforts After Disasters Show Value Of UN

Relief Efforts After Natural Disasters Show Value Of UN System, Spain Says

New York, Sep 25 2010 7:10PM

The massive relief efforts undertaken in the wake of the Haitian earthquake in January and the Pakistani floods last month demonstrates the value of the United Nations and its ability to deliver in such crises, Spain’s Foreign Minister "http://gadebate.un.org/Portals/1/statements/634210284578593750ES_en.pdf"said today.

Miguel Ángel Moratinos told the General Assembly’s annual high-level segment that the UN deserved praise for its “work and success” following the two major disasters.

“This capacity to act and effectively give expression to the effort of all countries through a multilateral approach is the way for the international system to meet the challenges we presently face,” Mr. Moratinos said.

He underscored that “an effective multilateralism” must be based on mutual respect and a recognition among UN Member States of the need to establish new alliances and build common strategies and policies.

The Foreign Minister added that both the UN and the so-called Bretton Woods institutions – the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund ("http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm"IMF) – must continue to reform to meet with changing times and the latest problems and challenges.

ENDS

© Scoop Media