President Kufuor's Speech at UN

STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY MR. JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA AT THE 60TH SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITED NATIONS

SEPTEMBER 17, 2005

NEW YORK

Mr. President,

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

Five years ago, the world greeted the new Millennium with hope and great expectation. The belief was that the unprecedented achievements in science and technology would be harnessed and deployed positively for sustainable development for all the peoples of the world and, also, for greater peace, and security.

In pursuit of this, the UN marshalled international support to back the requisite measures which would make the expectations of the Millennium realisable. These were embodied in the Millennium Declaration which was adopted unanimously on 8 th September, 2000. It is appropriate that this year, as we mark the UN's 60th anniversary, we also commemorate the fifth anniversary of this landmark Declaration.

Currently, there is more than enough evidence around the world attesting to the achievements of the UN and its agencies, especially in their efforts to promote international peace and security.

Mr. President, this is why the current spate of catastrophes and natural disasters, coupled with human-created terrorism across the world are creating a veritable paradox, such as to warrant the loud and seemingly incontrovertible sentence that "no one is safe any where, any more".

On the one hand, the world must commend itself for the dramatic rally it displays in rushing aid to victims wherever disaster occurs.

But on the other hand, the persistent mayhem and carnage from terrorism that seem to lurk everywhere are challenging with impunity, our collective resolve to the limit. The world must stand up, and together, seek solutions to these problems.

In this regard, the absence of progress on nuclear disarmament, the uncertain future of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the stalemate within the Conference on Disarmament and the proliferation of small arms all over, with forces who are even ready to use child soldiers, are so disturbing that peace-loving nations must condemn them unreservedly.

Now, more than ever before, there is a great need for a concerted approach to addressing these problems in the spirit of multilateralism which underpins the operations of the U.N.

Mr. President, African nations are now showing a strong determination to end the conflicts which have bedeviled the continent for decades. The setting up of the African Peace and Security Council, under the auspices of the African Union is a demonstration of this resolve.

The commitment of support from the UN and the international community for this challenging endeavour is most welcome.

May I seize this opportunity to call for a stronger commitment towards other programmes of NEPAD to help boost development efforts of the continent as a major stabilizing factor to achieve peace and security.

Mr. President, Africa is also embracing good governance as a prerequisite for averting conflicts and promoting sustainable development; and I am proud to say that Ghana, among nations of the continent, is systematically, developing an entrenched culture of democracy and the rule of law. Free and fair elections are becoming the order of the day on the continent.

The other aspect of helping to promote peace and stability in Africa is accelerated economic growth. It is generally agreed that the way forward is through partnership with the rest of the world, to fuel Foreign Direct Investment to create opportunities for employment, transfer of know-how and, productive endeavours to overcome the debilitating poverty. This is why NEPAD has been established by the African Union as an invitation to the world to co-operate with Africa and help it take its rightful place in the world.

It is, also, a mark of Africa's commitment to global partnerships that Ghana and other countries of the continent attach importance to the Asian-African summit held in Indonesia last April.

Africa believes that the realization of the agenda under the Doha Round could also bring significant benefits to developing countries. In connection with the welfare of our peoples, Ghana commends the various

initiatives aimed at providing assistance for the prevention, care and treatment

of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other infectious diseases. It is only by containment of

these diseases that the national development agenda can be kept on course.

Mr. President, the empowerment of women and children is moving apace on the

continent. In this regard, Ghana has established a Ministry of Women and

Children Affairs, and there are policies and programmes to promote gender

equality and enhance the status of women to enable them make appropriate

contribution to society.

Mr. President, more and more, the nations of the world are coming to accept and

look up to the UN to provide the framework and leadership for the shaping of the

on-rushing global village. The organization has become the centre for the

mobilization and deployment of resources for the relief of victims of both natural

and man-made disasters. It has become an agency for opportunities for

progress and development, as well as the safety net for the weak and

handicapped.

It is in this regard that Ghana is ready to contribute to the on-going debate on

UN reform, especially the strengthening of the UN institutions at all levels. For

these reforms to become genuinely respected and accepted, they must capture,

as central to their justification, the spirit of common humanity, in which each is

his brother's keeper. This will be the basis of the trust that will support the

tolerance and goodwill which must be the corner stone of globalization.

Mr. President, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, this is a historic

moment of truth for the international community. This destiny of the UN and

humankind is in our hands. We have the choice to save it, and the time to act is

now.

Thank You.