Obama supports Ban's bid for second term as U.N. leader

WASHINGTON, June 7 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday formally threw his weight behind U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his pursuit of another five-year term.
"President Obama welcomes United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's announcement that he will run for a second term, and the United States supports his candidacy," the White House said in a statement.
The statement was released a day after Ban, formerly a South Korean foreign minister, declared his desire to seek re-election as the chief of the 192-member organization, which is under pressure for internal reform. Ban took office in 2007, and his tenure ends this year.
Obama noted Ban's accomplishments in handling a number of global challenges.
"Under Ban's leadership, the United Nations has played a critical role in responding to crises and challenges across the globe, including most recently supporting democratic transitions in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and earthquake-affected Haiti, the conduct of the referendum on South Sudan's self-determination, and efforts to resolve the political and humanitarian crisis in Libya."
The U.S. president especially praised Ban's initiative for U.N. reform.
"The United Nations is an imperfect but indispensable institution," he said. "The secretary general has made important reforms, such as increasing the hiring of women to senior posts and proposing the deepest reduction in the U.N.'s budget in more than a decade."
He added, "The United States strongly supports further efforts for reform to improve effectiveness, streamline bureaucracy, reduce costs and update business practices to improve the United Nations' ability to meet its mandate to promote global peace and security, human rights and development."
Ban is widely expected to secure a second term amid support from the U.S. and the four other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.