SEOUL, May 30 (AJP) - Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday urged international cooperation and regional unity at the Astana International Forum (AIF), which is underway in Kazakhstan.
Ban, who now serves as chair of the Green Growth Global Institute and chair of the Boao Forum for Asia, highlighted the importance of global dialogue at the two-day forum in the Kazakh capital.
"As the former UN Secretary-General who helped realize the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, I would like to emphasize my strong support, particularly for its contributions to green growth, climate resilience, and sustainable development," Ban said.
He praised the forum's theme, "Connecting Minds, Shaping the Future," describing it as a reflection of "the kind of leadership we need today - one that is collaborative, forward-looking, and rooted in shared responsibility."
Ban particularly welcomed Kazakhstan and its Central Asian neighbors' adoption of such vision, stressing that severe challenges like climate change, environmental degradation, and economic transitions cannot be tackled by any single nation.
"No matter how powerful, no matter how resourceful one may be, these threats transcend geographical boundaries, political ideologies, and any artificial lines humans may draw. These serious challenges require a unified regional response," Ban emphasized.
Addressing global conflicts, Ban pointed out a troubling deterioration caused by insufficient leadership commitment to human rights. "I look around the world today and fear we're in a worse situation."
Drawing from his experience at the UN, he emphasized the critical need for unity. "When we are united, we can overcome all challenges. Connecting minds is unity and solidarity. There is not a single country in this world, however powerful, that can do it alone."
Ban called for a partnership involving government leaders, businesses, and civil society, stressing that global challenges require collective efforts.
Later in the day, Ban attended a session focused on regional connectivity and development, co-hosted by the AIF and the Boao Forum for Asia. The session discussed infrastructure gaps, digital transformation, trade facilitation, and clean energy development as strategies for economic integration in Central Asia.
Expressing concerns about current global economic tensions, he described the escalating trade war initiated by the U.S. as one "unprecedented in scale and severity since the Great Depression," affecting global trade and stability.
"The majority of countries and leaders are still firmly behind multilateralism, free trade, globalization, and an open world economy. That's a good sign, but that's not enough," Ban said, emphasizing the need for Asian countries to strengthen their connectivity and consolidate regional supply chains. "This is exactly what Asia can bring," he added.
Ban also underlined the AIF's role, concluding, "I'm very pleased to see so many brilliant people gathered here in Astana today to build consensus, trust, confidence, and our shared future. I look forward to benefiting from your vision and wisdom, and I wish this dialogue great success."
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