UN chief to travel to United Arab Emirates, Italy

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon is to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Italy to build momentum for a UN climate change summit slated for September and meet senior officials of the two countries, the deputy UN spokesman, Farhan Haq, said here Thursday. "The secretary-general will depart New York tomorrow, 2 May, in the evening for a trip which will take him to the United Arab Emirates and to Italy," Haq said at a daily news briefing here. "The Secretary-General's first stop will be Abu Dhabi, where he will co-host the Abu Dhabi Ascent, which aims to prepare for and build momentum ahead of his Climate Summit on 23 September in New York," he said, referring to the summit to be held at UN Headquarters. The two-day Abu Dhabi Ascent, which begins on Sunday, will bring together governments, the private sector, civil society and other partners to discuss how to take concrete action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance resilience to climate change, he said. While in the UAE's capital, the secretary-general will hold talks with government officials and representatives from a wide range of groups, such as business, finance and civil society, he said. "The secretary-general will also visit the Shams Solar Power Plant." The secretary-general will then travel to Italy, where he will chair in Rome the twice-yearly meeting of the UN System Chief Executives Board (CEB), Haq said, adding that the meeting will be hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development, with strong support from the city of Rome. Together with the members of the CEB, Ban will have an audience with His Holiness Pope Francis, he said. "The secretary-general will hold bilateral meetings with top Italian officials, including the president of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano; the president of the Council of Ministers, Matteo Renzi; and the president of the Senate, Pietro Grasso," he said. Ban will also address the Committee on Food Security in Rome and meet with the heads and representatives of the Rome-based United Nations specialized agencies and funds: the World Food Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, he said. The UN chief will return to New York on May 10, he said.