UN seeks to strengthen cooperation with regional organizations

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon said on Monday the UN will strengthen cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations to better confront global threats.

At a high-level General Assembly (GA) debate on strengthening cooperation between the UN and other organizations, Ban said the world is much safer thanks to the efforts made by the UN and other organizations especially when conflict, violence, and disasters are grave and growing problems to the whole world.

"We will continue to engage in this strategic dialogue at the highest level -- and to take action on the ground that makes a meaningful difference in people's lives," Ban said.

The UNGA President Sam Kutesa said there are many examples of successful cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations, such as with the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and the European Union (EU).

"While significant progress has been made, much more remains to be done to further strengthen cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations," he said.

On behalf of the EU, Alain Le Roy, secretary-general of the European External Action Service, said the EU has been working very closely with the UN at strategic level, in particular through mechanisms like the UN-EU Steering Committee and the High-level Dialogue on Crisis Management.

"We need co-operation more than ever. The new global order will be multilateral, or it will not be," said Le Roy. "The EU is ready to fully assume its responsibility and contribute to the new global order."

The thematic debate focuses on issues of how to strengthen strategic partnerships with regional and sub-regional organizations and how to enhance their capacities in conflict prevention. Endite