Ghana whips up African support for Kofi Annan

The Minister of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday urged African governments to support the re-election bid of Mr Kofi Annan for a second term as Secretary - General of the United Nations Organisation.

Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman told a meeting of heads of missions of African embassies and high commissioners in Ghana that Mr Annan has the support of the country. He later had a closed-door session with the diplomats.

"Mr Annan has the full support of the President and people of Ghana following the initiation of his re-election by the African group and all the other UN bodies in New York," the Minister said.

"It is the first time that all the UN bodies have agreed that a serving UN boss has done a marvellous job and must be re-elected."

He said a formal request would be made to their respective governments in due course.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman said: "Mr Annan has begun very constructive and incisive changes at the UN and he must be supported to make sure the changes succeed."

"There are a few loose ends to be tied and I hope that we can count on your support," Mr Owusu-Agyeman said.

"It is, therefore, important that Africa speaks with one voice on the international scene and also ensures that change comes to repair the broken image of Africa.

"We are tired of the negative image of Africa as a place of war and poverty on the globe. Our people deserve more than this. We, (as governments) must work together to make practical all attempts at economic integration."

Mr Owusu-Agyeman later told the GNA that he received "a positive response" from the diplomats whom he was meeting as part of his regular interactions with them.

He said the only hitch to Mr Annan's successful bid could be the notion that Africa has served its two-terms "by the fact that Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, an Egyptian, served one term followed by Mr Annan, a Ghanaian."

"But this notion is only a convention," Mr Owusu-Agyeman said, adding that Mr Annan decided to continue in his post after very fruitful consultations with President John Agyekum Kufuor.

"I must say that the President has ordered that everything possible be done to help Mr Annan win a second term as UN boss."

An Asian candidate is also said to be seeking the UN's highest office.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman called for the strengthening of regional economic and political groupings and organisations saying "they are important if Africa does not want to be sidelined.

He repeated Ghana's committed to the ideals of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) saying: "we would not pay lip service to the concept of African Unity."