“Renewable energy is important to promoting sustainable development – this is the golden thread in achieving sustainable development in the social, economic and environmental areas,”  Ban noted in remarks at a press encounter with President Daniel Ortega in the capital, Managua.

“The United Nations is working very hard with Member States to promote sustainable development and also to achieve a climate change agreement by next year,” he added.

While in Nicaragua, the Secretary-General and  Ortega will visit a wind farm in the Department of Rivas called Parque Eólico Camilo Ortega Saavedra.

In addition to the country's efforts in the area of sustainable development, he noted that Nicaragua is an important Member State of the UN and has been playing a vital role for peace and development in several regional and global organizations.

The UN,  Ban said, is dealing with many crisis issues. “I am just coming from my intensive negotiations for peace and stability in the Middle East. And we have many other crises in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Libya and Ukraine.

“These are all important priorities of the United Nations, and with all these common visions, I am looking forward to having a very good discussion with President Ortega,” the UN chief said.

Sustainable energy. Photo: World Bank/Dana Smillie