United Nations Radio

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has congratulated United States President-elect Barack Obama.

Speaking in New York today, Mr. Ban said he looks forward to the "historic opportunity" of working with the new US administration.

"I am confident today about future relations between the United Nations and the United States. I am confident that we can look forward to an era of renewed partnership and a new multilateralism."

Mr. Ban spoke to reporters before heading to Kenya, where he will participate in a UN-backed summit of the African Union on the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Following that meeting, the Secretary-General will join the Quartet meetings on the Middle East which will be held in the region this weekend.

This is Dianne Penn for United Nations Radio.

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