By Iddi
Yire, GNA
Accra, Oct. 24, GNA – Madam Shirley Ayorkor
Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, on Wednesday
reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to global peacekeeping.
“Ghana will continue to play significant roles
in peacekeeping within the constraints of its resources, in line with her firm
belief in the noble ideals of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping,” Madam
Botchwey said at a flag-raising ceremony on the occasion of the 73rd UN Day at
the forecourt of the Statehouse in Accra.
“I will like to use this opportunity to
reaffirm the commitment of Government to the ideas and principles of the UN and
to reiterate that, we would continue to discharge our international obligation
in promoting peace and security throughout the world,” she said.
The celebration was held under the theme;
“Making the UN Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Sharing
Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies”.
The function was attended by Ministers of
State, Members of Parliament (MPs), members of the diplomatic community,
service chiefs, traditional rulers, students and the public.
Madam Botchwey said the UN has always provided
the platform for the teeming majority of progressive nations of the world, both
rich and poor, large and small, developed and underdeveloped, to reach out to
one another and to build bridges towards creating common conditions for the
respect of human rights, the rule of law and deepening democracy.
Others are good governance and the attainment
of social equality, social justice and better standards of living for all.
Madam Botchwey said on this score, the UN has
made remarkable strides in its advocacy for Member States to uphold the
principles that guarantee basic freedoms and human rights of the citizens of
the world.
She said similarly, it has made significant
progress in promoting sustainable development and prosperity in the world by
setting common standards and goals to guide the efforts of its Member States in
the quest to better the lives of their people.
“Nevertheless, the world is still faced with
various threats to peace, security and stability, serious violations of human
rights, marked social deprivation, poverty and the devastating effects of
climate change and consequent environmental degradation,” Madam Botchwey said.
“In the same way, transformative and
sustainable development has continued to elude many nations across the globe
and the sense of hopelessness and despair of the poor and the marginalised in
our societies constitute an affront to our common sense of humanity,” she said.
She said this state of affairs increasingly
poses serious threats to social cohesion and progress.
She said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
in his address at the UN General Assembly Session in New York in September
stated that “We believe that there is room, there are enough resources in this
planet for us all to be prosperous”.
Madam Botchwey said it was in this regard that
Ghana commends the UN for the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), which presents the world with 17 goals and 169 targets that were aimed
at shaping the development agenda of the world for the next 12 years.
She said Ghana believes that the goals and
targets go far beyond the imperatives of economic growth to also encompass the
recognition of tackling the most severe cases of poverty and depravation while
delivering on the social and environmental diversities of development.
“It is in this connection that the Government
has fully embraced the SDGs and integrated the 17 ambitious goals in our
national vision and budget,” she said.
Dr Christine Evans-Klock, the UN Resident
Coordinator, expressed gratitude to President Akufo-Addo for agreeing to
continue to co-Chair the Secretary-General’s Group of Eminent Advocates for the
SDGs for another two-year term.
“This position helps drive Ghana’s leadership
across Africa and the world. It also makes Ghana’s efforts more visible, as it
continues to be accountable to citizens for the tangible difference the SDGs
make in their lives,” she said.
“On behalf of the UN, I would like once again
to express appreciation for Ghana’s continuing contributions to UN Peacekeeping
Operations,” she added.
GNA