United Nations Radio

The global financial crisis continues to be foremost in our minds.

That’s what Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday at his monthly press conference. The Secretary-General says he’ll be attending Saturday’s G-20 Summit in Washington, D.C. and will take three messages:

"First, we must do everything we can to alleviate the impact of the crisis on the world's poorest and most vulnerable people. This is clearly a question of will. The sums being spent to mitigate the crisis are already vastly more than the amounts allocated for ODA (official development assistance). Second, we need to address the systemic roots of the crisis. Third, the crisis is also an opportunity to address climate change. At a time of growing economic hardship, green growth can create millions of jobs."

The Secretary-General says he will be carrying the same messages to the Financing for Development conference that opens later this month in Doha, Qatar. And he adds that people around the world will be looking for a signal that aid will flow, and that opportunities will grow.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

(duration: 1'08")