UN General Assembly
2015

The most significant milestone contribution Myanmar has made to the United Nations was providing the Organization with a Secretary-General. He served the Organization from 1961 to 1971 at a difficult time of ideological contention, mistrust and security tensions among nations. He played an important role in enhancing security and expanding the Organization’s work on economic and social development in poor countries. The United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme were also initiated. U Thant believed that the United Nations needed to meet the needs and hopes of people everywhere. That vision is more relevant than ever to the work of the Organization and should guide us beyond the United Nations at 70.