Accra, Dec 7, GNA - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has said peace is possible "if we are willing to move beyond our differences and if we can inspire a new form of responsible leadership."

A statement signed by Mr Frank Agyekum, his Spokesperson, said the former President said this after he had been introduced as Chairman of the Interpeace Governing Council.

Former President Kufuor took over the chairmanship of the Interpeace Governing Council from the former President of Finland and 2008 Nobel Peace Laureate, Martti Ahtisaari at a ceremony in Geneva on Friday. Interpeace is an international organization that enables societies to deal with conflict in non-violent ways and build lasting peace. Former President Martti Ahtisaari introduced former President Kufuor to the Governing Council members, diplomats and donors and said: "As President of Ghana, he built his reputation as a solid, wise and patient leader and importantly, as an instinctive peace builder."

Former President Kufuor said he was honoured to take on the Chairmanship of the Interpeace Governing Council from such a distinguished and respected peace builder, former President Martti Ahtisaari. He described the region he comes from as rich in cultural, human and material resources, but racked by poverty, facing challenges of governance and suffering regularly from conflict. These combined factors keep the region from reaching its full potential.

"But I have also seen, first-hand, peace is possible if we are willing to move beyond our differences and if we can inspire a new form of responsible leadership."

Former President Kufuor said the most important task in building peace was to foster trust within and between communities and between the people and their leaders.

"This can sound simple but I know from my own experience this can be one of the most difficult things to achieve."

Mr Scott M. Weber, Director-General of Interpeace, told former President Kufuor that he was looking forward to the next chapter of Interpeace's history under the new chairmanship.

He said the Council was looking forward to benefiting from his experience in helping societies resolve conflicts and his outlook that comes from his role serving as President of Ghana and the African Union and his direct involvement in numerous peace processes across Africa.

Members of the Council members include Hind Bint Hamad Al-Thani, Director of the Office of the Emir of Qatar, Paddy Ashdown, member of the British House of Lords, Zainab Bangura, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sierra Leone, Judy Cheng-Hopkins, Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Assistant Secretary-General for Peace building Support, Thomas Greminger, Head of Peace Policy for the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Joao Honwana, Director, Africa I Division of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs.

The others are Hisashi Owada, President of the International Court of Justice, The Hague, Jan Pronk, former Development Minister for the Dutch Government, Mohamed Sahnoun, former advisor to the UN Secretary-General for Africa, Matthias Stiefel, Founder of Interpeace and Anthony Travis, former Senior Partner, PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Created in 1994, Interpeace is an international peace building organization with headquarters in Geneva and plays a discrete role in helping societies torn apart by violent conflict and civil war to build lasting peace.