"The post-2015 development agenda must represent the evolution in the thinking of the international community," he said. "To say it more clearly, development in general and sustainable development in particular is the work of the General Assembly...it is our reason for being."
Looking forward to bringing to fruition many outcomes of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), Ashe said the theme he has chosen for the 68th session will be "the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Setting the Stage".
Offering his congratulations to Ashe, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute to his "impressive experience", which included co-chairmanship of the Bureau for the Preparatory Process of the Rio+20 Conference, chairmanship of the UNGA Fifth Committee and Group of 77.
"[Ashe] shares my passion for sustainable development -- and my concern about the problem of climate change," Ban said, adding that Ashe has demonstrated his commitment to this issue through his work on the governing bodies of major UN environmental agreements.
"He is known as the go-to person when discussions break down. This happened in 2002 when he led negotiations on contentious issues at the World Summit for Social Development... and more recently when he co-chaired Rio+20 negotiations," said the UN chief.
Ban also thanked the outgoing UNGA president, Jeremic, for presiding over "such a dynamic and constructive session," and said he looked forward to working with Ashe to realize "our common goals".
Developer razes historic Guangzhou structures
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