Ban visits Nordic countries asking businesses and politicians to support“Seal the Deal”

Thursday, 28 May 2009 08:22

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, took the “Seal the Deal” campaign on a visit to the Danish capital, the host city of the December Copenhagen Climate Change Summit on 24 May.

Calling the issue of climate change “the defining challenge of our time,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a challenge to business leaders to lead efforts to transform the global economy into one that is “cleaner, greener and more sustainable.”

Mr. Ban told participants at the World Business Summit on Climate Change in Copenhagen: “As business leaders, you are crucially placed to ensure that government negotiators seal a deal,” the Secretary-General said, urging their support to harness the political will needed to reach an ambitious new agreement later this year.

Nobel Peace Prize laureates Al Gore and R.K. Pachauri were among speakers at the World Business Summit.

Mr. Ban paid a courtesy call on Her Majesty Margareth the Queen of Denmark before leaving for Finland, 26 May for a two day visit.

Ban Ki-moon and President Halonen wearing the Seal the Deal pins at a press conference in Helsinki 26 May.

Again Climate Change was at the center of his discussions with the Finnish President Tarja Halonen. Mr. Ban told a press conference he gave with President Halonen that he had recently launched the slogan “Seal the Deal”.

“This is why we are wearing this badge,” Mr. Ban said pointing at Seal the Deal badges the two leaders were wearing at the Press Conference. “Thank you Madame President for showing your strong support by wearing this “Seal the Deal” badge. I hope you will participate in this campaign.”

Helsingin Sanomat, Finland´s biggest newspaper commented that Ban, "who otherwise appears reserved, also handed one (pin) to the reporter, and he seems to be carrying around a large supply of them. "

In an interview with the newspaper Ban insisted on the necessesity of Europe´s contribution to Seal the Deal.  "The EU must take a leading role, " Ban said.