UN-Truth

No one can hope to become Secretary-General of the United Nations without speaking French. That’s a simple fact. You can always tell which high offiicals might have ambitions for the post — because once they get serious, they’ll be taking French lessons.

The new UN SG, BAN KI-MOON, was put to the test on Thursday by a journalist during a press conference at UNHQ/NY, who asked BAN to answer a question in French (BAN has been described as French-speaking). BAN’s reply was as follows: “my French perhaps could be improved, and I am continuing to work. I have taken French lessons over the last few months. I think that, even if my French isn’t perfect, I will continue to study it.”

David Usborne wrote, in a profile of SG BAN that appeared in the Independent on 1 January, the day BAN assumed office, that “When the Security Council was considering candidates for Secretary-General [that was maybe from August to October], he took evening classes in French, even as he was still foreign minister, for fear that France would block his candidacy otherwise.” http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article2116919.ece

Filed under: BAN Ki-Moon, French, UN Secretary-General