KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - NOVEMBER 2: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gives a press conference at UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) offices on November 2, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. The UN secretary general today gave his backing to the next Afghan government. Hamrid Karzai has been declared the president of Afghanistan, the day after his only challenger, Abdullah announced that he would pull out of this week's run-off presidential election in Afghanistan due to concerns over widespread fraud and abuse of power by the governmment. Getty Images logo Getty Images 1 month ago

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN - NOVEMBER 2: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon gives a press conference at UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) offices on November 2, 2009 in Kabul, Afghanistan. The UN secretary general today gave his backing to the next Afghan government. Hamrid Karzai has been declared the president of Afghanistan, the day after his only challenger, Abdullah announced that he would pull out of this week's run-off presidential election in Afghanistan due to concerns over widespread fraud and abuse of power by the governmment.

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  1. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 03: Musician Stevie Wonder is escorted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon before speaking at the United Nations Messenger of Peace induction ceremony at the United Nations on December 3, 2009 in New York City.
  2. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 03: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attends the United Nations Messenger of Peace induction ceremony for Stevie Wonder at the United Nations on December 3, 2009 in New York City.
  3. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 03: (L-R) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and musician Stevie Wonder attend the United Nations Messenger of Peace induction ceremony at the United Nations on December 3, 2009 in New York City.
  4. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 03: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attends the United Nations Messenger of Peace induction ceremony for Stevie Wonder at the United Nations on December 3, 2009 in New York City.
  5. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 03: (L-R) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, musician Stevie Wonder, H.E. Ms. Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN and Mr. Kiyotaka Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information attend the United Nations Messenger of Peace induction ceremony at the United Nations on December 3, 2009 in New York City.
  6. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 03: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attends the United Nations Messenger of Peace induction ceremony for Stevie Wonder at the United Nations on December 3, 2009 in New York City.
  7. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 03: (L-R) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, musician Stevie Wonder, H.E. Ms. Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN and Mr. Kiyotaka Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information attend the United Nations Messenger of Peace induction ceremony at the United Nations on December 3, 2009 in New York City.
  8. NEW YORK - DECEMBER 01: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon speaks during the amfAR world AIDS day event at Washington Square Park on December 1, 2009 in New York City.
  9. Afghan opposition candidate Abdullah Abdullah (R) shakes hands with United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon (C) as United Nation's special envoy to Afghanistan, Kai Eide (L, background) looks on prior to a meeting in Kabul on November 2, 2009. UN chief Ban Ki-moon flew into Kabul on November 2 to meet President Hamid Karzai over the Afghan election crisis with organisers to announce whether or not to scrap the poll after the only challenger pulled out. The surprise visit from Ban accompanied a diplomatic push to ensure the November 7 one-horse race does not take place, despite the initial insistence from some officials that it is too late to halt the process.
  10. Palestinian and UN vehicles take a flooded street following heavy rains in the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City on October 29, 2009. Hamas said it will ban the organisation of elections in its Gaza Strip stronghold after president Mahmud Abbas called for a vote in the Palestinian territories.
  11. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (C) meets with French senatorial delegation members, Senator of Val-d'Oise Robert Hue (2ndL), Senator of Morbihan Josselin de Rohan (2ndR), Senator of Meurthe-et-Moselle Daniel Renier (R) and Secretary General of the French Delegates for the 64th Session of the General Assembly Philippe Thiebaud (L), at the United Nations headquarters in New York, October 28, 2009.
  12. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (2ndL) meets with French senatorial delegation members, Senator of Val-d'Oise Robert Hue (L), Senator of Morbihan Josselin de Rohan (2ndR) and Senator of Meurthe-et-Moselle Daniel Renier, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, October 28, 2009.
  13. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, October 28, 2009. Ban Ki-Moon condemned the 'despicable and brutal' attack on a UN guesthouse in Kabul, which left five UN staff dead, but said the UN remained committed to Afghanistan.
  14. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, October 28, 2009. Ban Ki-Moon condemned the 'despicable and brutal' attack on a UN guesthouse in Kabul, which left five UN staff dead, but said the UN remained committed to Afghanistan.
  15. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, October 28, 2009. Ban Ki-Moon condemned the 'despicable and brutal' attack on a UN guesthouse in Kabul, which left five UN staff dead, but said the UN remained committed to Afghanistan.
  16. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon speaks during a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York, October 28, 2009. Ban Ki-Moon condemned the 'despicable and brutal' attack on a UN guesthouse in Kabul, which left five UN staff dead, but said the UN remained committed to Afghanistan.

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