Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me start by expressing my gratitude to the President of Italy and the Italian people for their strong commitment to the United Nations. Rome is an important centre of United Nations activity, host not only to IFAD but also to the World Food Programme and the Food and Agricultural Organization. This is yet another way in which Italy acts as a model member of the United Nations.

The work of IFAD is a fundamental part of the mission of the United Nations system, our mission of peace and development for all the world's people. I am pleased to convey a message to this session of the Governing Council, at which IFAD celebrates its 20th anniversary.

For twenty years, IFAD has been a tireless advocate on behalf of the rural poor. Rural areas are the locus of world poverty. Nearly one billion rural people live in poverty.Among them are small farmers, fishermen, nomadic shepherds and indigenous peoples. Sixty percent are women.

They have found in IFAD a friend and ally, an organization committed to combatting poverty and hunger at their roots.

That struggle, I am afraid, is as urgent as ever. Despite almost four decades and billions of dollars in international cooperation for development, deprivation remains widespread.In our world of great riches, hunger, malnutrition and poverty continue to exact a devastating toll.

IFAD wages its campaign on many fronts. It promotes secure land ownership and access to credit, capital and technology. It works to improve irrigation and watershed management. It seeks to diversify rural employment through cottage industries, fisheries, light manufacturing and tourism. IFAD is also keenly aware of the links between rural poverty and environmental problems such as desertification, and so it emphasizes renewable energy sources and sustainable agricultural practices.

Perhaps most importantly, IFAD carries out its work with the basic understanding that the rural poor are not a problem to be overcome but are instead a vital force whose productive potential must be unleashed. This a central point. I agree with IFAD's long-held view that the rural poor must be seen as actors in development, as owners of the development process, and not as objects for welfare or perpetual outside assistance.

IFAD's efforts span more than 100 countries. I am pleased to note that you are reaching beyond governments to engage additional actors on the international stage: financial and development institutions, non-governmental and other civil society organizations, as well as the private sector. By now we know that peace and prosperity cannot be achieved without such partnerships. In today's world, we depend on each other.

The private sector bears special mention. It is widely agreed that business is a key agent of prosperity; that it commands vast financial and technological resources; and that it is uniquely placed to create jobs and wealth. But just as the United Nations needs business, so does business have a compelling interest in the success of the Organization's work: our work for political and social stability, for sustainable growth and for a predictable, rule-based environment.

Thriving markets and human security go hand in hand; without one, we will not have the other. A world of hunger, poverty and injustice is one in which markets, peace and freedom win never take root. At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and elsewhere, I continue my efforts to get this message across.

It is a message based on a broad view of human peace, security and well-being. Today, security is increasingly understood not just in military terms, and as far more than the  absence of conflict. It is a phenomenon that encompasses economic development, social justice, environmental protection, democratization, disarmament and respect for human rights and the rule of law. We cannot be secure amidst starvation.We cannot build peace without alleviating poverty.

These pillars of peace and security are inter-related. Progress in one area generates progress in another. But no country can get there on its own. And none is exempt from the risks and costs of doing without.

That is why the United Nations is such a unique and valuable forum. And that is why, since taking office as Secretary-General, I have been so committed to reform.

Reform is the process through which we are laying the foundation for a more effective United Nations, an Organization that is better able to meet the aspirations of the world's people, particularly in the field of development, and especially for the benefit of Africa and the least developed countries in all regions.

I know that IFAD and all other parts of the United Nations system are committed to improving their efficiency and cost-effectiveness. We must remember that the system is ultimately viewed and judged in its entirety: the future of each constituent part cannot be separated from that of its other parts. So let us -- the entire United Nations system -- proceed together; our actions can be mutually supportive and reinforcing.

As you know, the General Assembly has endorsed and adopted measures of historic proportion, measures that are already enhancing our performance in the economic and social fields. This, ultimately, is where the reform process will be judged: on how well the United Nations promotes development and addresses the root causes of poverty and conflict in the world.

The Assembly is now discussing additional steps of a more long-term nature which are intended to have similarly far-reaching effects. I am confident about our prospects. But one of the biggest challenges still lies before us: We must revive the political will to utilize fully the improved tools that we are now shaping.

Excellencies,

We are on the threshold of an era of global opportunity and hope. For perhaps the first time in recent history, we are in a position to build a free and open world economy in which all countries can participate and from which all countries can benefit. For the first time, long cherished hopes of eradicating poverty seem attainable, provided a concerted will is brought to the task. The United Nations is renewing itself, transforming itself into a renewed and resurgent institution that enjoys the confidence of the world's people and is equipped to help them face the challenges of a new era.

I am fully aware of the obstacles we face, but I am also confident that we can achieve our goals if all of us -- the United Nations, its funds, programmes and specialized agencies -- work together. I pledge to you my full support and wish you success  in your important deliberations.