Preventing or resolving armed conflicts through political solutions and negotiations provides vital economic benefits to go with avoiding the enormous human costs extracted by war, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a gathering of Islamic scholars Tuesday.
In a message to the Third International Conference of Islamic Scholars, held in Jakarta, Mr. Ban stressed the need for the United Nations to work ever more closely with Member States, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others to try to prevent conflicts from emerging or continuing.
“Ultimately, conflicts can be resolved only through political solutions,” he said in the message.
“If the UN is unable to foster lasting political solutions, it will be left with humanitarian emergencies and peacekeeping without end. And these solutions need to have the support not only of the warring parties but of the region and the big powers.”
