Ghana at the UN: President Calls an Urgent Reform From the Security Council

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, Sept 25, 2024 Photo: UN

September 25, 2024 Hour: 4:12 pm

He appreciated that the Security Council reflects a world that does not exist and is incapable of resolving various current crises.

Ghana’s president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, called for urgent reform of the UN Security Council during the General Assembly (UN) on Wednesday.

In addressing world leaders, the Ghanaian leader stressed that global reforms are urgently needed to enable humanity to address challenges such as climate change, inequality, reform of global governance and others.

He appreciated that the Security Council reflects a world that does not exist and is incapable of resolving various current crises. So what is the point of it? he asked after pointing out that reforming this structure is a matter of justice.

We are gathered here to seek peace, but war continues to affect nations; we seek justice, but injustice prevails, he said.

He explained that Africa, Latin America and South Asia are underrepresented, he said, while questioning the under-representation of his continent, which has 1.4 billion people.

He also criticized the veto power and the inability of the Security Council to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict and stop the genocide of the State of Israel against Palestine and Lebanon.

He noted that it is not enough to maintain peace, but its structural causes, such as poverty, lack of opportunities and inequality, must be addressed. Real peace comes from investing in education, health and economic development, he said.

On the other hand, he said that peace cannot be imposed from outside; it must be built from within. He also warned of the fragility of democracy and the danger of military coups such as those that have occurred in recent years in several West African nations.

Akufo-Addo criticized the privileges enjoyed by rich elites and nations, and questioned that the poor and excluded have been left behind.

He appreciated that Africa has great potential, but is treated by rich nations as a second-class citizen. He recalled that the promises of development assistance have not been fulfilled and questioned the practice of some nations to provide aid with an interventionist approach, seeking to interfere in the autonomy and exercise of sovereignty.

He also highlighted the scope of public policies adopted by his country during his administration, such as free access to secondary education, which benefits more than 5 million children and enables the preparation of future generations.

He explained that health has been prioritized and a project to build more than 100 hospitals was undertaken, an effort that will expand access to health and become the most ambitious of its kind in the history of this African nation.

It meant that his government promotes actions to ensure food sovereignty and generate jobs and income for millions of people. With appropriate public policies we can reduce hunger and improve agriculture and the economy, he said.

He added that his government is also moving towards the digitisation of services and governance, improving participation, transparency, accountability, functioning of institutions and the rule of law.

The Ghanaian head of state said that it is not enough to maintain peace, but we must address its structural causes, such as poverty, lack of opportunities and inequality. True peace comes from investing in education, health and economic development