UN General Assembly
2011

of the United Nations. I hope that this year we will witness, with pride, the inclusion of Palestine as the 194th Member of the United Nations. “The Afghan people also shared the pain of the loss experienced by the Japanese people when the natural disasters struck earlier this year. Japan is a longstanding friend of Afghanistan, and we are confident that this great nation will soon overcome the challenges of recovery. “The Assembly is a manifestation of our collective will to stand together against the challenges that face human society and to realize the potential for a peaceful and prosperous world for all. Our gathering here is also a testimony to the valuable role that the United Nations plays in the realization of our collective will. I applaud the remarkable leadership that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has demonstrated in steering the United Nations in a direction where it can truly become an asset to a peaceful world. “Finally, many countries from across the globe have stood in solidarity, over the past 10 years, with the Afghan people. On behalf of