President Nana Akufo-Addo has reiterated Ghana’s call for reforms at the United Nations, especially at the Security Council to rectify the injustice meted out to Africa by the current composition and structure, as captured in the Ezuwilni reforms.
The Ezulwini Consensus, named after the Eswatini town, is a position on international relations and reform of the United Nations, agreed by the African Union. It calls for a more representative and democratic Security Council, in which Africa, like all other world regions, is represented.
The president re-echoed the call at this year’s presentation of New Year greetings with the diplomatic corps in Ghana at Peduase in the Eastern Region.
On the issue of climate change and efforts by countries to reduce global emissions, President Akufo-Addo remarked that Africa and Ghana have made commitments to the issue of climate change but cautioned that these commitments require support from the rest of the developed world to honour their financial obligations as promised as well facilitate the transfer of technology, adding that until these expectations are met, the world has no moral right to demand Africa to abandon the exploitation of resources in its quest for development.
On the Covid19 pandemic, President Akufo-Addo expressed Ghana’s gratitude for the support of the international community during the period including the donations of PPEs and vaccines.
He said vaccination is the surest way of defeating the virus and revealed that Ghana has vaccinated some 11 million people and announced that Ghana is in partnership with Rwanda and Senegal to manufacture vaccines.
The President also touched on the military takeovers in West Africa stating that it represented a great setback for democracy in the sub-region.
He said these interventions cannot solve the problems and urged the international community to support the sanctions against the countries.
President Akufo-Addo expressed his optimism at the success of the ACFTA and alluded that the potential of Africa to succeed together lies in the success of the AFTCA.
He used the occasion to thank the diplomatic community for supporting Ghana’s bid for a seat on the Security Council assuring the diplomatic community that it would consult broadly to protect Africa’s interests and urged the UN not to reduce its commitment to peacekeeping in the region.
Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey for her part, alluded that international collaboration is more important now than ever before and assured the diplomatic community that Ghana is looking forward to working with others to tackle the changing threats in the world.
Dean of Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of Columbia to Ghana, Claudia Turbay Quintero for her part, reiterated their felicitations to the President and his vice for winning the 2020 elections, while acknowledging the tenets of the rule of law and democratic principles in the country, and applauded Ghana’s second-place position on the most peaceful country index.
By: Isaac Clottey
