Ghana, 1995

We are very pleased that Mr.

Freitas do Amaral is presiding over this important occasion,

not only because of our confidence in his sterling qualities

and acknowledged capabilities, but also because of the long

historic links between Portugal and Ghana — links going

back 500 years. We wish him every success in conducting

the affairs of this fiftieth session of the General Assembly.

To his predecessor, my brother and colleague from

Côte d’Ivoire, we say “thank you” for a job well done. He

led us through very complicated and difficult issues, such

as the restructuring and reform of the United Nations,

particularly the enlargement of the Security Council. The

patience, equanimity and skill which he displayed

throughout his presidency won the admiration of us all.

To Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, we say a special word

of thanks and appreciation for his indefatigable energy, his

remarkable commitment to the independence of the United

Nations and his steadfast resolve to help carry the

Organization forward on a sounder footing.

Fifty years of life, be it of a person or an institution,

is an appropriate occasion for celebration and we are all

looking forward to the festivities planned for the latter part

of this month in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary

of the United Nations. It must also, however, be an

occasion for a sober assessment of success and progress

attained, as well as an in-depth analysis of the shortcomings

experienced and how best to overcome them.

In 1945, 51 States, by signing the United Nations

Charter and setting up the Organization, ushered in a new

era in international affairs. I recall that only four African

countries were Members of the United Nations at its

inception. Today, the United Nations comprises 185

Member States, of which, perhaps, Africa is the continent

with the largest representation.

The very fact that the United Nations has grown in

the past 50 years to encompass in its membership almost

all sovereign States of the international community

indicates a positive development. This is important

because of the growing interdependence of States and the

common interest of the international community in the

solution of the complex and myriad issues of

contemporary life.

To those who criticize the United Nations and the

General Assembly in particular as a mere talking shop, I

would say that the tradition of discussion and debate, of

listening to and appreciating the views of others is of

great value. This is precisely the rationale for setting up

this forum. It is only through such a process that diverse

views can be harmonized and compromises struck. But

even the sceptic will admit that the United Nations has an

appreciable record of humanitarian and social

improvement throughout the globe, in decolonization and

in the settlement of disputes and conflicts.

Our hope that the end of the cold war would bring

in its train a new era of enduring peace and international

harmony has been rudely dispelled. Much has indeed

changed but much remains the same. The perennial

conflicts of the past are taking new and troubling

dimensions with “ethnic cleansing”, genocide and strident

forms of nationalism threatening international tranquillity.

This fiftieth anniversary is the appropriate occasion for all

States to ponder carefully how these problems can be

effectively contained. We are encouraged by recent events

to hope that the ugly conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina

can and will be solved, and we must pay tribute to the

United States for this development.

We also note with appreciation the recent Israeli-

Palestinian accords signed in Washington as another

milestone in the progress towards genuine peace in the

Middle East. We would, however, urge all parties to show

more flexibility and understanding in ensuring a

comprehensive solution to the Middle East problem,

which, inter alia, would include full self-determination for

the Palestinian people and the restoration of occupied

Arab lands.

No conflict can be resolved without the willingness

of the parties to be reasonable and ready for compromise.

13

The Afghans, the Somalis and others stand in danger of

neglect and they must wake up to this reality. The leaders

of the warring parties in these countries must appreciate the

enormous responsibility on their shoulders not to condemn

their compatriots to senseless slaughter in perpetuity.

The developing countries generally find themselves in

difficult economic circumstances as a result of an

unfavourable international economic climate. The need for

concerted international action to restructure the international

economy in order to meet the challenges of absolute

poverty, malnutrition, disease and illiteracy, among others,

in the developing countries cannot be overemphasized. In

this context, we appreciate the limited success of the

important global conferences of the past year, especially

that on population and development in Cairo, the World

Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen and, last

but not least, the Fourth World Conference on Women in

Beijing. The very fact that the international community has

been able to improve and agree on a set of guidelines for

future action in each of these vitally important social areas

is in itself a remarkable achievement. We trust that the

necessary political will to implement what has been agreed

upon will be exercised by all.

Allow me to say a few words about last April’s

review and extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation

of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). We note with regret that, so

soon after the indefinite extension of the NPT, the very

fears which made some of us question the wisdom of an

indefinite extension have been fulfilled by the resumption

of nuclear testing in the Pacific. We had argued that an

indefinite extension would leave the nuclear Powers with no

real incentive to make further progress on the arms control

agenda. We must condemn in no uncertain terms the breach

of the underlying implications of the consensus reached on

the indefinite extension of the NPT. Let us hope that

lessons will be learned from the almost universal

condemnation of the French tests and that there will be

movement towards a rapid conclusion of a comprehensive

test-ban treaty and action on the other major issues in the

area of disarmament.

United Nations peace-keeping continues to assume

great prominence in the range of United Nations activities.

This has been in clear response to urgent needs in various

parts of the world, and we in Ghana continue to try to

make a modest contribution through participation in such

missions as that in Rwanda. We are pleased to note that a

lot of thinking is going on about how to improve and

strengthen the United Nations peace-keeping role. We will

continue to take an active part in these discussions and we

hope it will be possible to agree on new arrangements

that will be to the benefit of us all.

Allow me, on this issue, to express my delegation’s

profound regret at the delay of the United Nations in

reimbursing troop- contributing countries, such as mine,

for expenditures incurred in United Nations peace-keeping

operations. We urge that every effort be made to resolve

this matter as speedily as possible. Of course, it will help

greatly if Member States in arrears in their contributions

honour their obligations and pay up. We urge them to do

so without further delay.

While on the subject of peace-keeping, may I say a

few words about what we in West Africa have tried to do

in Liberia. In the spirit of the relevant provisions of the

United Nations Charter and the Treaty setting up the

Economic Community of West African States

(ECOWAS), ECOWAS countries took the initiative to set

up the cease-fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) to stop

the bloodshed in Liberia. Today we are pleased to see

that the Abuja and earlier agreements have made possible

the restoration of relative peace in that country. The

challenge now is to see through the implementation

process. That will require a considerable increase in troop

strength, logistics for ECOMOG and for the encampment,

disarmament and resettlement of rival forces engaged in

the civil war. International assistance is greatly needed to

meet these objectives. It is hoped that a ready response

will be forthcoming at the pledging conference envisaged

for later this month.

What ECOMOG has done in Liberia is a good

example of how subregional and regional organizations

should support the United Nations in the maintenance of

international peace and security. But the United Nations

will need to overcome doctrinal obstacles and to develop

principles that will facilitate hybrid operations involving

subregional initiatives and United Nations financing in

whole or in part.

On Rwanda, Ghana has again demonstrated the

depth of its commitment to the maintenance of

international peace and security by sending troops to the

front line. Our actions speak louder than words. Liberia

and Rwanda are the latest in a long history of Ghanaian

participation in peace-keeping operations. We will

continue to make a contribution whenever and wherever

we are called upon to assist. That is why Ghana

sponsored the preparation of the Anglo-French glossary of

peace-keeping terms, which provides precise terminology

for vital words regularly used in the actual theatre of

14

operations. Our gratitude goes to the British, French and

Senegalese Governments, who all helped make the exercise

a success.

Africa’s economic problems are too well known for

me to recount. Allow me to state that some of us are

beginning to wonder about the seriousness of the

international community in helping Africa help itself.

Conference after conference and seminar after seminar have

been held in the past few years on this issue. Study after

study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World

Bank and numerous other institutions and distinguished

personalities have been published, dissecting every

dimension of the continent’s problems.

African countries have committed themselves

repeatedly to carry out far-reaching economic and

institutional reforms, on the express understanding that their

efforts would be fully complemented by the requisite

material support of the international community, particularly

the advanced countries.

While not down-playing the assistance Africa has

received in the past few years, I must register the profound

disappointment of many of us on the continent that the

expected volume of assistance has never been forthcoming.

Moreover, the requisite action on the debt and aid fronts,

which would have completed the picture, has also not been

adequate.

This is all the more regrettable because of the

profound political risks that many Governments in Africa

have run by faithfully implementing painful structural

adjustment programmes that have had a severe impact on

their peoples. It is also unfortunate because Africa has seen

a tremendous upsurge of popular empowerment which has

found expression in the establishment of constitutional rule

in country after country. Let it not appear that the

international community deliberately wishes to marginalize

the African continent. The problem of poverty of the

African continent, if not tackled seriously, could pose grave

dangers to international peace and security. Many conflicts

in Africa are occasioned by the strains of development and

they could easily take on international dimensions.

As we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the United

Nations, let us seek to fight against the arrogance of power

and the return to the habits of colonialism as exhibited in

the unjustified economic blockade against Cuba and the

sanctions imposed on Libya. Such actions, particularly

when sponsored by the United Nations, will serve to

undermine the integrity of this Organization. The collapse

of the cold war must make us more vigilant against any

attempt to turn the United Nations into an instrument of

the foreign policy of any one country or group of

countries. When that happens, regional and subregional

organizations will be tempted to question and/or disobey

the decisions of the United Nations. This will be a tragic

development that must be avoided at all costs. That is

why Ghana, like other members of the OAU, calls upon

the Security Council to lift the sanctions imposed

unjustifiably on Libya and seek a peaceful solution to the

Lockerbie affair and other related matters. We must of

course forever maintain an uncompromising resolve to

fight mindless terrorism.

Let me conclude by reaffirming Ghana’s

commitment to the United Nations as the best hope for

peace and international cooperation. Long live the United

Nations.