Ban Ki-moon hopes Modi would attend key UN climate summit

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the General Assembly and particularly participate in a key climate change summit, an area he said India can make important contributions.

Mr. Ban’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters here that he is aware of reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mr. Modi will not be attending the Secretary General’s climate change summit on September 23 during the upcoming 69th UN General Assembly session that begins this month.

“I think the important issue for us is really on the commitments that countries will bring. And the Secretary- General expects every Member State to come with strong and bold commitments on climate change,” Mr. Dujarric said on Wednesday.

Mr. Modi is expected to reach New York on September 26 and will address the UN General Assembly the next day, giving his first global speech to an audience of nearly 200 world leaders and foreign ministers at the annual gathering of the world body’s policymaking organ.

After a grand community reception at the Madison Square Garden on September 28, Mr. Modi will head to Washington for his crucial bilateral meeting with President Barack Obama.

Mr. Dujarric had said in May that Mr. Ban expressed “hope” that Mr. Modi would attend the General Assembly and particularly participates in the climate change summit, an area he said India can make important contributions.

Mr. Dujarric had said that India has a big role to play on the issue of climate change and it has very important contributions to make.

Heads of State and Government will join leaders from business and civil society to announce new commitments and practical actions to address climate change at the summit hosted by the Secretary-General.

The one-day summit will mark the first time in five years that world leaders will get together to chart a bold, new course of action on climate change.

The Secretary-General has asked leaders to announce significant and substantial initiatives to help move the world toward a path that will limit global warming.

The UN Chief said in a statement that the summit would accelerate political momentum and catalyse ambitious action on the ground.

“I have invited leaders from governments, cities, business, finance and civil society to showcase what they are doing to promote the transformative change we know we need.

The world needs to see what countries are already doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.