[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16761-16762]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE EIGHTH SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS BAN KI-MOON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 12, 2016

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of Ban Ki-
moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN).
  As we come to the end of Ban Ki-moon's second consecutive term as the 
Secretary-General, I want to recognize his hard work, dedication, and 
commitment to improving the lives of others around the world. As 
Secretary-General he successfully guided the UN as it worked to resolve 
conflicts and advance a wide range of development issues that have had 
a positive impact on vulnerable people across the globe.
  Secretary-General Ban has worked as an advocate for women's 
empowerment, successfully supporting the establishment of UN Women--the 
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. 
UN Women leverages resources to build on the important work of four 
previously distinct parts of the UN system. UN Women works to empower 
women and girls by eliminating discrimination and advancing gender 
equality--goals consistent with the UN agenda Secretary-General Ban has 
championed. Mr. Ban has been a strong advocate for women's rights and 
gender equality, having spearheaded campaigns like ``Unite to End 
Violence against Women'', and increasing the number of women holding 
senior management positions by approximately 40 percent.
  During his time as Secretary-General Mr. Ban advocated for the 
advancement of sustainable development across the globe. One of his 
most prominent initiatives, the 2007 Climate Change Summit at the Bali 
International Conference Centre, brought together representatives from 
over 180 countries to adopt the Bali Road Map, which laid the 
foundation for the beginnings of a global climate agreement.
  Finally, Mr. Ban's tireless efforts to support nations in crisis or 
experiencing instability cannot be understated. He has worked to 
strengthen humanitarian efforts, especially after disasters in Myanmar 
in 2008 and Pakistan and Haiti in 2010. Mr. Ban has given a

[[Page 16762]]

voice to the most poverty-struck and vulnerable populations in the 
world, including the over 65 million individuals displaced from their 
homes by conflict and persecution in 2015.
  I thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his service, spending his 
days advocating on behalf of the least among us. His tenure as 
Secretary-General of the United Nations has delivered significant 
advances in peace and human rights around the world.

                          ____________________