CAIRO (AFP) -- Egypt has welcomed South Korea's Ban Ki-Moon as the new UN secretary general and urged the body to continue the global fight against terrorism.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak sent Ban a letter to congratulate him on his new post.

In a statement, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit stressed "the importance of encouraging the United Nations in mobilizing and coordinating international efforts to fight terrorism.

"Egypt hopes the term of the new secretary general will see the continued efforts to reform the international body ... and support development activities which are very important to developing countries," he said, adding that Egypt was ready to "fully cooperate" with the new chief.

"There are many important issues waiting for the new secretary general, including the situation in the Middle East and the efforts to stop the spread of nuclear (weapons)," Abul Gheit said.

Ban, a career diplomat, will take over from Ghana's Kofi Annan to become the United Nations' eighth secretary general and the first Asian in the post since U Thant of Burma led the organization from 1961 to 1971.