Ban: Multiple crises a challenge for word

The world has never before experienced so many crises at the one time, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said today.

The top diplomat said we were living through an era like no other, plagued by economic, food, health and energy crisis.

In a major speech in Dublin Mr Ban said the UN wanted a shake-up of peacekeeping operations as the body faced mounting difficulties in getting troops, equipment and supplies.

“This supply has not kept pace with demand, that is one of the frustrations which I feel as the secretary general,” Mr Ban said.

“The global credit crisis we are now experiencing worldwide could further limit our ability to respond effectively.

“And a number of missions struggle to operate amidst stalled peace processes and ongoing violence.

“These gaps and constraints should concern all of us.”

Mr Ban said demand for UN services was at the highest level ever, with 16 peacekeeping operations across the globe involving 78,000 military personnel, more than 11,000 police and 23,000 civilians.

The senior diplomat said the international body was working on a project dubbed ’new horizons’ focusing on the direction of peacekeeping operations.

It would involve high-level talks with member states including Ireland and other key players, he told his Irish audience.

Mr Ban also claimed the problems faced by the world were being compounded by other international challenges such as climate change.

“We are living through an era like no other,” he said.

“There are multiple crises – food crisis, fuel crisis, flu crisis and financial crisis.

“Each is a crisis we have not seen for many years, even generations.

“But this time they are hitting the world all at once.

“We have never seen any era when we have been hit by all these multiple crises at the one time.”

The secretary general was on a two-day official visit to Ireland to hold talks with President Mary McAleese, Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Foreign Minister Micheál Martin.

He was invited to address the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin Castle on UN peacekeeping operations, where he praised Ireland’s long-standing contribution.

Mr Ban, who ranked U2 frontman Bono among his friends, said the country had been a dynamic presence in the UN and had served as a bridge builder on the world stage.

Touching on the North, the UN chief said in achieving peace Ireland had given the world an inspiring example.