UN General Assembly
2005

I bring warm greetings, Sir, from the Government and people of Solomon Islands, and I wish to congratulate the President on his election to lead the General Assembly at its sixtieth session. I would like to assure him of Solomon Islands’ support and cooperation during his term in office as he guides the work of the Assembly over the next 12 months. My delegation would also like to commend and register its deep appreciation to his predecessor, our colleague, the Honourable Jean Ping, Foreign Minister of Gabon, for his invaluable contribution and able leadership of the proceedings of fifty-ninth session of the General Assembly. 28 Solomon Islands also extends its gratitude to Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his vision, dedication and leadership in making the United Nations relevant and responsive to today’s threats. This Organization rose out of the ashes of the Second World War with the sole purpose of ensuring that never again would the world allow crimes against humanity to flourish. Sixty years on, genocide, terrorism, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and hunger continue to claim millions of lives annually. According