(VOVworld) – 2016 will be a year in which milestone decisions on sustainable development must be implemented resolutely.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made the statement at a press briefing to announce UN’s directions this year.

In his address to open the press conference, Ban said if 2015 was the time to launch campaigns for global sustainable development goals, 2016 will be the year when each country should exert greatest efforts for these SDGs.

Ban congratulated UN member countries on adopting 17 goals and 169 norms on poverty reduction, struggle against inequality, and climate change over the next 15 years, and reached consensus on the Paris agreement on combating climate change.

Ban listed a number of major events to take place in 2016 including a special session of the UN General Assembly on the world drug problem, a special UN General Assembly meeting to discuss the status of refugees in Europe, and the Economic and Social Council Youth Forum, scheduled for February.

Ban called on the international community to stop long-lasting conflicts partly attributed to the division among countries and make greater effort to protect vulnerable people ahead of clashes.

He reiterated that the number of migrants to European accounts for less than 2% of the total 60 million refugees and homeless people and appealed all out support for those who are eager for settling down in peace.

Ban stressed that solutions to deal with nuclear issues will be prioritized this year because nuclear weapons are the fatal threat to the human. He warned all countries not to pursue nuclear policies to ensure their national security because this will endanger themselves and others.