Speech by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, at the 79th Session of the UNGA. teleSUR
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00:00At this moment, as this will be my final opportunity to address the United Nations General Assembly
00:08as I enter the closing months of my presidency, over the past eight years I've had the privilege
00:15of speaking on several variations of the essential themes that quite properly dominate the deliberations
00:23of this global assembly. The condition of humanity and the state of the planet. Serving
00:31the people of Ghana and by extension those of West Africa, Africa and the world has truly
00:37been the greatest blessing of my life. Indeed, being here this morning fills me with both
00:44pride and humility. Pride in the limited progress we have made together as nations and humility
00:52in recognizing the challenges that still remain. My time as president has been deeply
00:58fulfilling and I'm profoundly grateful for the trust placed in me by my fellow Ghanaians.
01:04It has been an honor to serve them and to contribute to advancing peace, security and
01:10development on the global stage. As president, Madam President, I'm here with a heart full
01:18of hope, yet mindful of the great challenges that still confront us. As president of the
01:24Republic of Ghana and as a citizen of the world, I'm acutely aware of the shared responsibility
01:31we carry. Our work here is nothing less than shaping the future of humanity, a future that
01:39will affect generations long after we are gone. Leaving no one behind, acting together
01:46for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present
01:51and future generations reminds us that the decisions we take here will define whether
01:58we rise to meet the hopes of billions or continue to let inequalities and injustice persist.
02:05We owe it to those who look to this body for leadership, to act and not just to talk. The
02:13world we live in today is a stark, unfortunate contrast of privilege and hardship. For too
02:21long the voices of those marginalized, those left behind, have been drowned out. They constitute
02:30the bulk of humanity. These are the voices of the poor, the displaced, the vulnerable.
02:38We cannot in good conscience leave them behind. They should be at the center of our discussions
02:45and our decisions. Africa in particular knows the cost of being left out. Yes, we're a continent
02:54rich in potential and resilient in the face of adversity, but we have also been disadvantaged
03:01by a global system that has generally treated us as an afterthought. We have been viewed
03:07merely as passive recipients of aid rather than as equal partners in global progress.
03:14The well-meaning promises of assistance have failed to materialize to bring about the long-term
03:20change we so passionately need. Such aid as is offered often comes with strings attached,
03:27limiting our ability to shape our own futures. Africa is not a continent of despair. It is
03:35full of great possibilities. She is required, however, to chart a new course of development.
03:42Our young population is filled with energy, creativity, and ambition. The people of Africa
03:51are not asking for handouts. They're demanding opportunities in a new global architecture
03:57so they can have access to education, healthcare, and jobs to be able to build better lives
04:04for themselves, their families, and their descendants. In Ghana, we've taken bold
04:10and decisive steps to ensure that no one is left behind in our national development, and
04:16we have shown that it is possible. Our flagship free senior high school policy has benefited
04:235.7 million young people, many of whom would have been denied the opportunity to learn,
04:30to dream, and to succeed. This initiative has transformed the lives of millions, positioning
04:37the next generation of Ghanaians to take their place as leaders in the global economy.
04:43But this is just the beginning. We need a global commitment to ensure that every child,
04:48no matter where they are born, has access to quality education. A world where children
04:54are left unprepared for the challenges ahead is not a just world. Beyond education, we've
05:02also prioritized healthcare for our people. Through Agenda 111, my government has embarked
05:08on the largest ever healthcare infrastructure project in Ghana's history. This initiative
05:15is constructing 111 hospitals across the country, ensuring that even the most remote regions
05:22have access to modern healthcare facilities. This is part of our broader goal of ensuring
05:29that no one in Ghana is left without the basic right to health. We've also taken significant
05:36steps to boost food security and economic growth through the Program for Planting for
05:41Food and Jobs. This initiative has improved food production, created jobs, and enhanced
05:48incomes for millions of Ghanaians. It is a clear demonstration that with the right
05:53policies and investments, we can transform our agricultural sector and ensure that no
05:59one goes hungry. In the same vein, our One District, One Factory policy is transforming
06:06the industrial landscape of the nation, generating the structural transformation of our economy,
06:12which is our major strategic objective. In addition, Ghana has embraced in full the
06:20teachings of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and is actively pursuing an agenda of digitalization.
06:27Under my administration, we have revolutionized public service delivery by integrating technology
06:34into governance. From the introduction of the Ghana Card, which has streamlined identification
06:41and access to services, to the digitalization of the country's land registry, these reforms
06:47have enhanced transparency, efficiency, and accountability. Digitalization has improved
06:54the lives of ordinary Ghanaians and has also laid the groundwork for sustainable economic
07:00growth in the digital age. And let us not forget the strides we have made in enhancing
07:07the rule of law and governance. Through reforms in the judicial system, strengthening our
07:13democratic institutions, and promoting transparency, Ghana continues to be a beacon of good governance
07:20in Africa. We have enacted laws and implemented policies that uphold the principles of accountability
07:27and ensure that every Ghanaian, regardless of their background, is protected by the rule
07:32of law. Madam President, it is impossible to address
07:37the challenges of today without speaking of the contradictions that exist within this
07:42global institution. We gather here to discuss peace, but wars continue to ravage nations.
07:50We speak of justice, yet justice endures. Take the Russian invasion of Ukraine, for
07:56instance. Millions of lives have been uprooted, thousands have lost their lives, and yet the
08:03Security Council has struggled to respond decisively, just as it is struggling to make
08:09a decisive intervention in the tragic ongoing war in Gaza and the Lebanon.
08:15The structure of the Council reflects a world that no longer exists, and its failure to
08:21act in times of crisis raises a difficult question. What is the purpose of the Security
08:27Council if it cannot intervene when the world needs it most?
08:34Reforming the UN Security Council is a matter of fairness and necessity. The current structure
08:40created in 1945 no longer reflects the realities of today's geopolitical and economic landscape.
08:48Africa, Latin America, and South Asia remain under-representative despite their significant
08:55influence on global affairs. This lack of representation undermines the legitimacy of
09:01the Council's decisions, and the use of veto power by a few permanent members often paralyzes
09:08its ability to act effectively during crises. Reform is essential to ensure that the Council
09:15is more inclusive, democratic, and responsive to the complex challenges we face today.
09:22The world has changed, and the Security Council must change with it to maintain its relevance
09:27in promoting global peace and security. For years, I have championed the need to reform
09:33the Security Council as per the Ezwini Consensus, the common African position on UN reform,
09:40which calls for Africa to have permanent seats on the Council. It is incomprehensible
09:46that a continent of 1.4 billion people has no permanent voice in shaping decisions that
09:53affect global peace and security. The time for half-measures is over. We need
09:58a Security Council that is fit for purpose in today's world. It is heartening, however,
10:04that finally the demand for reform has found acceptance by leaders of two of the five permanent
10:10members – President Joe Biden of the United States of America and President Emmanuel Macron
10:16of France. Hopefully, the others will soon follow suit.
10:20We must also recognize that the fight for peace goes beyond government actions. It is
10:26a fight for humanity itself. In Africa, we have often borne the brunt of conflicts, sending
10:33our troops to peacekeeping missions with limited support from the global community.
10:37While I am pleased to see the UN now taking steps to finance peacekeeping in Africa, an
10:44outcome of Ghana's presidency of the UN Security Council, we must go further. Peacekeeping
10:51alone is not enough. We must address the potential causes of conflict, poverty, inequality, and
10:58lack of opportunity. True peace comes from investing in education, healthcare, and economic
11:05development. However, peace cannot be imposed from the
11:10outside. It must be built from within. African nations must take ownership of their security,
11:16and the African Union needs to strengthen itself to be able to respond swiftly to threats.
11:24Madam President, as I speak today, ongoing developments in West Africa are deeply troubling.
11:30Military coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger threaten the democratic process
11:37progress we have worked so hard to achieve within the ECOMAS community. These coups are
11:44stark reminders that democracy is indeed fragile and must be continually nurtured.
11:51In Ghana, however, we will remain resolute in our commitment to democracy. As my presidency
11:58draws to a close, I want to assure this Assembly that the upcoming 2024 elections in Ghana
12:05will be free, fair, and transparent. The NAYs have demonstrated time and again in the last
12:12three decades their strong attachment to democracy, which they will not permit to be undermined.
12:19The Electoral Commission, supported by Ghana's security services, is well equipped to ensure
12:25that the will of the Ghanaian people is respected. Ghana has long been a beacon of democracy
12:32in Africa, and we intend to keep it that way. The 2024 elections will be proof of our enduring
12:44commitment to the rule of law, transparency, and the principles of democratic accountability
12:50that have guided our nation in recent decades.
12:53Madam President, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in history. The decisions we make today
13:00will shape the future of our world. We can choose to act with courage, compassion, and
13:06a commitment to leave no one behind, or we can choose inaction and allow the suffering
13:12of millions and the degradation of the planet to continue.
13:17Let me end by reminding us all that the future is not something that simply happens. It is
13:24something we create. We have the power in this room to change the course of history.
13:31Let us not shy away from that responsibility. Let us act now, and let us act together.
13:38I wish you God's blessings in all your current and future deliberations, and I thank you
13:43for your attention.