UN Affirms Ghana As Dependable Partner

The United Nations Secretary General, Mr. António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres has (March2, 2017) affirmed that Ghana will continue to be a dependable partner in world affairs.

Speaking during a courtesy call on him at the UN Headquarters in New York by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Mr. Guterres described Ghana as a model country on the African continent.

Mr. Guterres stated that Ghana is a game-changer” and therefore hoped that more countries will learn from her example. He recalled the leading role the country (Ghana) played in welcoming refugees from Liberia, Togo and Ivory Coast when he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

“We are looking forward to Ghana’s support in peace and security in ECOWAS. Ghana will always play an important role in the ECOWAS. Preventive actions in the region are very important, and we are counting on your support”, said the Secretary General.

In this vein, he praised the work being done by Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the UN’s Special Representative in West Africa to solve regional problems.

On her part, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey conveyed greetings from Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to the Secretary General and also congratulated him (Mr. Guterres) on his new role as Secretary General.

She lauded the UN for the transparent and inclusive manner in which the Secretary General was selected this time round.

The Ghanaian Foreign Minister was equally glad that Mr. Guterres had selected a woman from ECOWAS as his deputy and moved on further to appoint another woman as Chef du Cabinet, a true reflection of his Gender Parity agenda.

Extolling Ghana’s democratic credentials, she noted that “The Ghana government stands for the rule of law, true democracy, peace and security. We have seen and given a good example of what we get when we entrench democracy. Ghana has shown a clean example of that”.

On the ECOWAS front, the Minister said Ghana continues to play a yeoman’s role in peace and security as reflected in the part the country played in the resolution of the recent Gambian crisis. She also expressed gratitude to the UN Secretary General for the commendation given to Ghana's son, Dr. Chambas, for the good work he was doing in ECOWAS.

In this connection, Ms. Botchwey assured the world body that Ghana will play her part in the UN’s effort for world peace, especially when it comes to peace keeping.

The Minister told the Secretary General that Ghana has not taken lightly the issue of terrorism, cyber security, climate change and will do everything to support the UN in that direction.

The Minister was hopeful that the SG’s rich experience in refugees and other matters will be an advantage in his present assignment.

Present were Ambassador Martha Pobee, Permanent Representative to the UN, Mr. Philbert Johnson, Deputy Permanent Representative, Mr. R. Harry Reynolds, Head of Information and Mr. Theodore Yeboah, First Secretary, all of the Ghana Mission, New York.

Earlier had interaction with the staff of the Ghana Mission and the UNSRC, an association of Ghanaians working with the UN.