UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday said that he is determined to build a stronger United Nations, so that the world body can be more effective in response to such global challenges as food crisis, climate change and nuclear proliferation.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the year-end press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States, Dec. 14, 2011. Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday said a stronger United Nations was needed in response to global challenges as food crisis, climate change and nuclear proliferation. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)
The secretary-general, who was re-elected in June for a second five-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2012, made the statement at a press conference here. The year-end press conference is also the last one during his first term ending on Dec. 31, 2011.

"We will build on the progress of the last five years," Ban said. "We can accomplish little without a strong United Nations."

"People are outpacing traditional institutions -- in their desire for change -- in their demands for democracy, justice, human rights and new social and economic opportunity," he said. " Our challenge is to keep up -- and to deliver."

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet