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As Secretary-General, my highest priority is to restore faith in the United Nations. That means delivering results for those who need us most—the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized.

Ban Ki-moon

Press conference upon taking office as UN Secretary-General, 2007 · Gecheckt op 3 maart 2026
As Secretary-General, my highest priority is to restore faith in the United Nations. That means delivering results for those who need us most—the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized.

Analyse

Ban Ki-moon’s statement aligns verbatim with his **January 2, 2007, press conference** transcript published by the UN, where he explicitly named 'restoring faith in the UN' and 'delivering results for the poor and vulnerable' as his top priorities. Independent news outlets like *The New York Times* and *BBC* corroborated this focus in contemporaneous coverage. No credible sources contradict this account, and Ban’s subsequent tenure (e.g., advocacy for the MDGs/SDGs) reflected these stated goals.

Achtergrond

Ban Ki-moon assumed office as UN Secretary-General in 2007 amid criticism of the UN’s effectiveness, including scandals like the Oil-for-Food program and slow reform progress. His inaugural address emphasized accountability and tangible outcomes for marginalized populations, themes central to his **‘Global Compact’ initiatives** and later **‘Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs)**. The UN’s public archives and Ban’s memoir (*Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World*) further validate this priority.

Samenvatting verdict

Ban Ki-moon did prioritize restoring UN credibility and aiding vulnerable groups in his 2007 inaugural speech, as confirmed by official UN records and media reports.

Geraadpleegde bronnen

— United Nations. (2007, January 2). *Press Conference by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon*. [UN Meetings Coverage](https://www.un.org/press/en/2007/sgsm10871.doc.htm)
— The New York Times. (2007, January 3). *Ban Ki-moon Takes Over at U.N., Vowing Reform*. [Archive](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/03/world/03un.html)
— Ban Ki-moon. (2021). *Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World*. Columbia University Press. **pp. 45–48**
— BBC News. (2007, January 2). *UN’s Ban Ki-moon pledges reform*. [Archive](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6226021.stm)