Dinner speech to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan

It is a great honour to welcome the Secretary General of the United Nations.

And it is a great pleasure to have you both here this summer evening, and a privilege for us all that you chose to spend summertime in our mountains.

We welcome you as a Secretary General that has brought enlightened leadership to the United Nations.

I said so earlier today, but it can be repeated:

We are impressed by the wisdom and the soft spoken authority that you have brought to the world’s highest public office.

You have provided the UN with new strength, support and respect.

When you were here on an official visit in early September four years ago, hopes were high for a “quiet revolution” and we listened to your first ideas for much needed reform of the UN.

Today – we see the difference:

Reform has taken root.
And a new confidence with it.
The UN is met with new legitimacy and a higher standing.

This – indeed – the world deeply needs.

We are now looking forward to working with you in your second term, to make the UN even more capable and effective.

More than ever we need a strong United Nations to address the challenges of present and future generations.

Together we must win the battle against poverty.
Together we must ensure that everybody can enjoy a decent minimum standards of health and education.
Together we must prevent violent conflict and preserve peace.
And together we must take better care of the environment.

Globalisation has been pushed up where it belongs - to the top of the international agenda. But we also need to find ways of engaging all those citizens who express their concerns, hopes and aspirations.

I know you are giving a lot of thought to these issues. The Millennium Report presented to last year’s Millennium Assembly is inspired by the conviction that people acting together can make a lasting difference.

Your Global Compact initiative last year was a broad based invitation to business and civil society to join forces in defeating poverty and promoting sustainable development. You have also opened up the UN to civil society and the private sector.

A big audience was privileged to hear your views on globalisation at the University of Oslo this afternoon.

They were all inspired by your insight and your vision.

To me – the challenge to all of us is the same at a national and at the global level: Creating and sharing go together.

We need to create growth. And we need to share it fairly.

If we fail, our vision for the future will end up lacking both legitimacy and support. It will breed conflict – and we all stand to loose.

Mr. Secretary-General,

Norwegians are proud to be firm supporters of the UN.

We are privileged to have you here as our friend.

Our mountains are proud to have you walking among them - and on top of them.

Today is the first day of another year of daunting tasks on behalf of the international community. Please remember: Whenever you so wish – our door is open to welcome you back to our shores for both relaxation and reflection.

Honoured guests,

Please join me in a toast to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and Ms Nane Annan, and to our united efforts for a better and more just world that realises the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.