Ghana, 2005

After the celebratory and

powerful statements made here by leaders from all four

corners of the world during these past few days

commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of this

Organization, all that is left for Ghana to do is to

emphasize a few points in this annual general debate of

the General Assembly.

The record attendance of heads of State and

Government at this year’s meetings is evidence that,

more and more, nations of the world are accepting and

looking up to the United Nations to provide the moral

and practical framework and leadership for the shaping

and governance of the onrushing global village.

Without doubt, the Organization has become both the

main centre for the mobilization and deployment of

resources for the relief of victims of natural and man-

made disasters alike, and also the chief agency and

catalyst for the spread of opportunities for progress and

development for all humankind. Reassuringly, it is

galvanizing the conscience of humankind to resist and

desist from inhuman conduct, whilst putting in place a

global social safety net for the poor, the weak and the

handicapped in a world of strident competition.

Ghana will therefore continue to contribute to the

ongoing debate on United Nations reform, especially

the strengthening of the Organization’s institutions at

all levels. The reforms must radiate the spirit of

common humanity in which each person is his

brother’s keeper. That will engender the trust needed to

anchor the tolerance and goodwill which must be the

cornerstone of the globalization process.

The increasing realization of our common

humanity will lessen the divisive tendencies of racial,

religious, political, gender, cultural and other social

categorizations. Already, the world, under the

leadership of this Organization, is doing well in its

many dramatic rallies in rushing aid to victims

wherever disaster occurs, such as the Indian Ocean

States after the tsunami and the aftermath of Hurricane

Katrina in New Orleans, here in the United States of

America.

In spite of those positive developments, however,

the persistent and worsening carnage and mayhem

caused by terrorism still seem to lurk everywhere.

Nowhere and nobody seems to be safe any longer.

Whatever its cause, terrorism cannot be justified or

rationalized in terms of a solution, since its effects do

not discriminate between the perceived guilty and the

innocent. That is why the world must stand together

and try to eradicate it.

African nations are now showing a strong

determination to end the conflicts that have bedevilled

the continent for decades. The setting-up of the New

Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and

the African Peace and Security Council under the

auspices of the African Union is a demonstration of

that resolve. Through NEPAD, Africa has identified the

factors of good governance, the culture of democracy,

the rule of law, free and fair elections, sound economic

management of States, and State support for and

partnership with the private sector as critical for

sustained socio-economic development, peace and

stability.

For accelerated economic growth, Africa is

generally agreed that the way forward is through

partnerships among the African nations and with the

rest of the world to create economies of scale and to

attract both domestic and foreign direct investment.

That will create opportunities for employment, the

transfer of know-how and markets to combat the

debilitating poverty. The world community must

support Africa in those ground-breaking efforts.

Africa believes that the realization of the agenda

under the Doha Round could also bring significant

benefits to developing countries. But alongside those

efforts must come support for the call for greatly

enhanced economic aid from the United Nations and

the developed world for the struggling third world to

nurture itself into the fitness required for the

competitiveness that the global market demands. The

same rationale must back 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 containing those diseases that the

continent’s development can be kept on course.

The empowerment of women and children is

moving apace on the continent. In that regard, Ghana

has established a Ministry of Women’s and Children’s

Affairs to spearhead policies and programmes to

promote gender equality and enhance the status of

women.

This is a historic moment of truth for the

international community. The destiny of the United

18

Nations and humankind is in our hands. We have the

choice to save it, and the time to act is now.