04.06.2012, Jeddah, KSA – United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, paid a visit Monday to the Islamic Development Bank Group where he expressed pleasure over his first ever visit to the Islamic Development Bank Group and emphasized the active and close cooperation between the Bank and the United Nations Organization.

The UN Secretary General was welcomed by Dr. Birama Sidibe, Acting President of the IDB Group, who underlined the IDB Group’s full commitment to implementation of and compliance with the UN’s Global Development Agenda. The UN Chief was then presented a detailed overview of the IDB Group’s activities and its role in supporting economic and social development in its Member Countries as well as Muslim communities worldwide. The presentation also touched on the close relations between the IDB Group and different UN organizations dating back to the year 1976 when the Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNESCO followed by many instances of cooperation and signing of memoranda of understanding with several UN bodies.

The two sides are currently cooperating closely on implementing the New Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and combatting poverty while maintaining development cooperation including in Central Asia, West Africa as well as in Afghanistan, Palestine and Yemen. Also at the meeting, the UN secretary General underlined the significance of cooperation between the Bank and the United Nations Organization in various fields stating that the UN and the IDB Group maintain cooperation in many major areas including combatting poverty, food security, water, health, education.

He further expressed hope to see further boosting of the existing cooperation for implementation of the goals of the UN and the Bank. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UN Secretary General’s two day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to attend the Meeting of the Advisory Board of the United Nations Counter Terrorism Center held in Jeddah.