The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, 67, has been selected for a second five-year term as the UN chief. The Secretary-General was appointed by a unanimous vote and will serve a second term that comes into effect on the 1st January 2012. Ban Ki-moon is the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations. The former South Korean foreign minister took over from Kofi Annan in 2007.  

See what a day in his life is like in this new behind-the-scenes video. 

The Australian Government signed an agreement with UNDP today to provide AUD2.5 million to support the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme. The funds will be channelled through the Trust Fund for Support to the Full Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Lao PDR. The contribution is un-earmarked and will help to scale up clearance operations and mine risk education as well as providing quality assurance and control over a two-year period.

Speaking at the hand over ceremony, H.E. Ms. Lynda Worthaisong, Ambassador of Australia to Lao PDR said, “We expect that this contribution will improve the lives of affected families by giving them safer access to land for farming and other daily activities”. Also present were Mr. Minh Pham, UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Bounpone Sayasenh, UXO Lao National Program Director, and Lao Government officials.

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The Staff of the United Nations through the UN Country Team in the Lao PDR donated 42,805,440 LAK (Lao Kip) to the Japanese Red Cross today in support of its relief efforts following the devastating Tōhoku earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that struck the north-east coast of Japan, off the Oshika Peninsula on the 11th March. 

At a handover event held at the Japanese Embassy the UN Resident Coordinator (a.i.), Mr Leik Boonwaat, presented the contribution to the Japanese Ambassador in Lao PDR, Her Excellency Madame Junko Yokota. “The UN Family in Laos was deeply saddened by what had happened in Japan. Yet encouraged by the resilience of the Japanese people we would like to express our sincere support and wish them a quick recovery,” said Mr. Boonwaat.

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