Ghana, 2006

Ghana, like many other

nations here, is delighted and feels proud that a

distinguished lady endowed with excellent diplomatic

skills has been elected to the presidency of this body.

We have no doubt that she will continue the skilful

stewardship of her predecessor, Mr. Jan Eliasson, the

Foreign Minister of Sweden, who presided over the

sixtieth session of the General Assembly.

Ghana would also like to welcome the Republic

of Montenegro as the 192nd Member of the United

Nations, and looks forward to the day when the

Organization will attain full global and universal

membership.

A year ago, we met at this historic venue to adopt

the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document

(resolution 60/1), in which we acknowledged that

peace and security and development and human rights

11 06-52737

were the pillars of the United Nations system and the

foundations of our collective well-being. We also

recognized that those pillars were interlinked and

mutually reinforcing and that, while each country had

the primary responsibility for its own development,

individual efforts should be complemented by

supportive global programmes, measures and policies

aimed at expanding development opportunities,

especially for developing countries.

Ghana therefore attaches the utmost importance

to the Summit’s decision that developing countries

should adopt and begin to implement by 2006 such

requisite national strategies as would enable them to

achieve the goals and objectives that have been agreed

upon, including the Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs). Ghana has therefore been working

relentlessly towards that end, in the firm belief that our

development partners, both bilateral and multilateral,

will support us in our efforts to improve the living

conditions of our people. For effective implementation,

all concerned must show commitment and dispatch.

Ghana recognizes good governance as crucial to

sustainable development. We have therefore worked

assiduously at establishing a robust culture of

democracy, sound economic management and

adherence to the rule of law. The free and fair elections

that have been held successfully in Ghana over the past

15 years bear eloquent testimony to the determination

of Ghanaians to create an equitable, free and stable

society in which each individual can develop his or her

full potential. The media, freed from intimidating

legislation, have blossomed into a vibrant watchdog for

the probity and accountability expected of the

governors and the responsibility expected of the

citizens.

It is against that background that Ghana readily

submitted itself to the African Peer Review Mechanism

under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development to

have an objective assessment of its institutional

structures and their functioning for the improvement of

its governance.

But our collective objective within this

Organization to alleviate the economic plight of the

majority of mankind may continue to elude us unless

the pursuit of international peace and security is

effectively and satisfactorily addressed. Ghana

therefore views with grave concern the continuing

spread and persistence of terrorist activities. The

international community must rally to contain and

effectively eradicate that menace to mankind.

In that regard, the Secretary-General’s proposal

for a Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is welcome.

Indeed, it is the view of Ghana that there must be a

quick conclusion of the deliberations on the proposed

comprehensive convention on international terrorism.

Yet another scourge to the security of the world

are the snail-paced talks on the elimination of nuclear

weapons and the added threat of the proliferation of

those weapons. Ghana shares the concerns of the

majority of Member States that this body must

continue with and intensify its pressure for the total

elimination of those weapons, for as long as 27,000

nuclear weapons continue to exist, as they do now, our

world will remain vulnerable to the threat of mass

destruction.

We make this appeal not unaware of the positive

uses of nuclear energy, but so long as those nations

which already possess these weapons and those on the

verge of breaking into the mastery of the technology do

not show transparency with their know-how, the world

will feel insecure. So Ghana appeals to such nations to

show candour and transparency in their cooperation

with the International Atomic Energy Agency by their

compliance with the terms of the Treaty on the Non-

Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The spread of small arms and light weapons is yet

another scourge, especially for Africa. This

Organization’s collective efforts to rein in that menace

since 2001 have indeed yielded significant results.

However, we are still far from achieving the desired

target. That was borne out by the outcome of the recent

Review Conference of the United Nations Programme

of Action. Ghana therefore welcomes the current

momentum within the international community to

move closer to the ultimate goal of drastically

removing the menace.

Without a doubt, the United Nations

responsibility for maintaining international peace and

security has been tremendously facilitated by

peacekeeping operations in many troubled spots around

the world. Ghana has been a dedicated and regular

contributor to those operations. It is thus committed

because of its conviction that the lack of peace and

stability in any country can have far-reaching negative

repercussions beyond its immediate borders. We

therefore commend moves to enhance the United

06-52737 12

Nations peacekeeping activities that bring hope to

victims of conflict.

African nations are more and more demonstrating

their proactive commitment to the management and

resolution of conflicts on their continent. That is why

Ghana commends and supports the Secretary-General’s

determination to take the necessary measures to effect

the envisaged close partnership between the

Organization and the African Union in that sphere,

with particular reference to Darfur, in order to save the

many lives threatened by the looming crisis there.

Deepening Africa’s peacekeeping capacity to meet that

challenging mission through training, logistical and

financial support is crucial to the success of that goal.

The decision taken at the 2005 World Summit in that

regard must therefore be expeditiously implemented.

A monumental product of the Summit was the

birth of the Peacebuilding Commission, of which

Ghana is a member. Our expectation is that the 30-

member Commission will discharge its functions

diligently. Another significant milestone achieved by

this Organization was the establishment of the Human

Rights Council. I must express appreciation to this

Assembly for electing Ghana with the highest number

of votes to the Council.

The many resolutions and the launching of

various Commissions clearly indicate the

determination of our Organization to make the world a

better and safer place for mankind. The truth is,

however, that if this desire is to be actualized, the

United Nations must undergo more radical reforms and

be better equipped to effectively implement its

decisions. Such a streamlined Organization will create

the critical mass for tackling effectively the many

challenges that threaten international peace and

security. Thus, the debate to reform the Security

Council based on the principles of democracy, the

sovereign equality of States and equitable geographical

representation, among others, is very much in order

and must be supported.

Permit me at this stage to try to discharge an

honourable duty that I feel uniquely placed to

undertake. That is to pay tribute to the Secretary-

General, Mr. Kofi Annan, who is my compatriot and

my friend, at the end of his exemplary tenure. He has

brought much honour and distinction to our nation,

Ghana, by his excellent stewardship of the United

Nations over the past 10 years. Indeed, his entire adult

career over the past 40 years has been at the exclusive

service of this Organization, through the ranks of

which he rose until he attained the pinnacle 10 years

ago. His dedicated and illustrious service during the

first 30 years led to his historic election as the first-

ever career officer to become Secretary-General.

Destiny also marked him out as the Secretary-

General to see out the last century and also usher the

Organization into the twenty-first century. It cannot be

disputed that these 10 years of his tenure have

witnessed the phenomenal acceleration of the world in

the process towards globalization. He can also claim

some credit for having succeeded in shepherding our

Organization deftly through the complicated and

transformational challenges that the times confronted it

with. He has been able to provide this masterful

leadership not only through competent administration,

but also in ideas as well as lofty humanistic ideals. His

vision for a more proactive Organization, able to

respond to the challenges of the twenty-first century,

has been lucidly published in his report “In larger

freedom: towards development, security and human

rights for all”.

He is a much decorated personality all over the

world, and his winning the Nobel Peace Prize

especially attests to the quality of the human being he

is. There is no doubt that he retires with an enviable

legacy of contributing immensely to shaping the

destiny of this Organization and the affairs of the

world. Ghana is proud of him and looks forward to

receiving him heroically at home. I say to him in our

language “Ayekoo”, meaning “well done!”