YouSaid · the spoken record

James Victor Gbeho

lines on the record: 54
first: 1999-09-24
most recent: 2000-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“However, it can surmount these challenges only by sustaining the good will and credibility it enjoys among Member States and this can be achieved only by expediting the democratization of the Organization. May the new vision which our leaders have charted for the Organization in this new century spur us all to concrete action to free our peoples, whose faith and trust reside in us, from fear, want and exclusion.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Ghana supports the Secretary-General's proposal for the adoption of 2005 and 2010 respectively as deadlines by which to reduce the rate of infection of young persons through the assurance by the developed partners and their pharmaceutical industries of the easy availability of inexpensive vaccines. To reach that goal, we must also invest in education, publicity, open discussions and 21 moral counselling of our youth, in particular. They must understand that it is indeed possible to avoid the disease by exercising care, since this fatal disease is transmitted in a very limited number of ways. We appeal to our developed partners for their full cooperation. Finally, there is no doubt that the United Nations remains the only instrument for confronting the challenges of this millennium.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Statistics released during the XIII International AIDS Conference in South Africa in July this year showed that almost a third of all people with HIV/AIDS are between the ages of 15 and 24 years. Every minute six people under the age of 25 catch HIV, with girls more than 50 per cent more likely to contract the virus than boys. Based on this data, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has emphasized that to defeat the disease, Governments must commit themselves to “the largest mobilization of resources in their history” and organize themselves as if they were fighting “a full-blown war of liberation”, with young people in the forefront. This staggering situation must prick the conscience of the entire international community into rendering full support for efforts to control and minimize the spread of the disease.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is our expectation that Member States will endeavour to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child before the General Assembly's special session in 2001 that will review the implementation of the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children and of the Plan of Action. It is also our hope that the positive outcome of the just ended International Conference on War-affected Children, held in Winnipeg, Canada, will be fully implemented to ensure the worldwide protection of children during conflicts. I now turn to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, whose impact has been greatest in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is estimated to have affected the modest gains in social development.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The challenges to the achievement of gender balance can be eliminated through a renewed commitment to the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. We therefore call on all countries which have not yet ratified the Convention to take steps to do so, and urge prompt implementation of the provisions of the Convention. We also urge those who have entered reservations incompatible with the purpose of the Convention to reconsider their stance, in the interest of advancing the cause of women. The promotion and protection of the rights of children are of equal concern to my delegation. They are the compelling reasons for our co-hosting jointly with the Government of Canada a workshop on children in armed conflicts.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It is only fitting that as a developing economy, Ghana identifies itself with the cause of the least developed countries, most of which are in Africa. In this connection, we fully subscribe to the preparatory work for the Third United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries. We expect consensus to be reached on the accessibility of products of least developed countries to the developed markets. Our comments on this occasion would be incomplete without touching upon the crucial question of the empowerment of women and the attainment of gender balance. We also wish to express concern about the persistence of discrimination against women in most parts of the world in spite of the progress achieved since the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in 1995.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It must be the vocation — indeed, the commitment — of the North-South partnership to ensure that in the new millennium governance, nationally and globally, rests on the recognition that the wealth of some must not lead to the impoverishment of others, and that every person on this earth must have access to certain basic social services, such as health care, education, food and safe water, no matter which corner of the earth he or she inhabits. Thus the rich countries have an indispensable role to play by further opening their markets, by providing larger and faster debt relief and by giving more and better focused development assistance, which would enable poorer countries to sustain a meaningful level of development.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We therefore call once again on all Member States to fulfil their financial obligations under the Charter in full and on time. The challenges facing the international community, such as the growing income and technology gaps between the North and the South, poverty and deprivation, point to the need for stronger cooperation between the developed and developing countries. A concerted effort will be required to promote a systematic dialogue between the two groups to find solutions to these problems.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Ghana welcomes the contribution of non- governmental organizations to the work of the United Nations and individual countries, but must at the same time caution against replacing the genuine and democratic voice of a people with those of externally controlled non-governmental organizations and the private sector. Non-governmental organizations and the private sector are vital agents of change in developing countries, but they should not replace the voice of a people, if democracy is to retain credibility. In an age of globalization and of our increasingly knowledge-based society, we feel that the United 20 Nations has a major responsibility to support the development efforts of the developing countries, and that the international community should provide the necessary resources for it to do so.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Unless our actions reflect this strategic understanding of the nature of decision- making in the world today, we are unlikely to benefit from the mistakes of our past efforts. We accordingly urge the Secretary-General to examine ways of ensuring common, acceptable standards for accountability and transparency, even in the operations of non-governmental organizations with respect to their participation in the United Nations. In addition, a greater effort should be made to build the capacity of non-governmental organizations in developing countries so that non-governmental organization participation in the United Nations could reflect the diversity of interests across the world.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“But that concept can be real if the tenor of our negotiations reflects an awareness of our common humanity and its highest values rather than the diplomatic stock-in-trade of an era shaped by competitive warfare and an unequal advantage of the rich and powerful over the poor and militarily insignificant countries. International cooperation for development must replace inequity and war. Transforming the context of international cooperation for development depends as much on the level of commitment of individuals and groups in our respective countries as it does on what we do as political leaders and policy makers. In this connection, reinforcing and enhancing the network of linkages between the United Nations and civil society is a fundamental necessity.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“On the contrary, they are using their pre-eminent political and economic positions to try to control and manipulate developing countries, especially countries whose Governments they do not support. It seems to me that the world community is yet to translate the traditional parochial affirmation of the need for equity, fairness and solidarity for national development into concrete international actions. Furthermore, the United Nations will be able to teach lessons of equality and justice to its members only when it practises those norms itself. At the end of the cold war the peoples of the world heard a lot about the peace dividend. Only a decade after this new concept was trumpeted from the rooftops, it has turned out to be non-existent.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“No sacrifice should therefore be too great for success. In this new era we must have the boldness to end attitudes and situations that are no longer helpful to the process of globalization. In spite of the regular acknowledgement by world leaders and other influential policy makers of the need for poverty alleviation, those in a position to do so have failed to offer credible arrangements for debt relief, market access and financing for development which would go a long way in enabling developing countries to build viable socio-economic systems capable of overcoming the fragmentation and marginalization being suffered as a result of globalization.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Ghana acknowledges the current propitious climate in the Middle East as a result of the revival of contacts between Israel and the Palestinian Authority at the highest levels. The withdrawal of Israeli Defence Forces from Southern Lebanon has given these talks a sense of optimism, and so have the meetings between Chairman Arafat and Mr. Ehud Barak. While we commend President Clinton's efforts, the two leaders of the Middle East are urged to show flexibility and stay the course, as the obstacles to peace cannot be removed without compromise, painful sacrifices, diplomacy and a strong desire for durable peace. Both sides should remember that this is perhaps the finest hour for reaching agreement. The negative forces in Israel, especially, are regrouping, while the younger generation in Palestine are growing more and more impatient.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In the particular case of Africa, support for the International Criminal Court is not only desirable; it is a must, since censure by the international community is now very necessary in dissuading warlords and rebels from committing the heinous crimes that we continue to witness in countries such as Sierra Leone, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ghana recommends, therefore, that international law should 19 ensure that the perpetrators of such crimes are punished and that they do not enjoy amnesty from any country. The spirit of compromise which led to the overwhelming endorsement of the Rome Treaty establishing the International Criminal Court, must be kept alive to achieve our objectives in this field. The situation in the Middle East continues to engage the serious attention of us all.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We will also play an active part in the preparatory process leading to the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects, to be held in 2001. Ghana believes that the efforts of the United Nations to promote and maintain international peace and security should rest on a firm international legal framework, hence the need to maintain support for the useful work being done by the International Law Commission and related institutions in the United Nations system. We believe that the tremendous progress made in the establishment of legal frameworks for the pursuit of crimes against humanity, for example, must continue if our societies are to be maintained.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“The United Nations must capitalize on this momentum and continue its search for new ways and means to achieve nuclear disarmament and arms non- proliferation. It must also embark on confidence- building measures in order to enhance the process. In this regard, the Disarmament Commission and other relevant machinery on disarmament established by the General Assembly should be given every opportunity to fulfil their mandates through the demonstration by Member States of commitment, flexibility and the necessary political will. Ghana would therefore use this opportunity to reiterate its support for the proposal by the Secretary- General of convening a major international conference on the nuclear threat.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“However, such initiatives should not become an excuse for the United Nations or the Security Council to shirk their primary responsibility for the maintenance of peace and security in Africa. Disarmament lies at the heart of the United Nations efforts to ensure and sustain international peace and security, conditions necessary for all productive human activity. The nuclear threat of the cold-war era still looms large over all of us and will continue to do so until the nuclear Powers and militarily significant countries disarm. It is therefore reassuring that, despite the gloom that has beclouded the United Nations disarmament machinery over past years, positive results were achieved at the Sixth Review Conference of the State Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Unless the international community helps by implementing this aspect of Security Council resolutions, international peace and security will continue to be prejudiced by the greed and ambition of individuals. Enhancing Africa's peacekeeping capacity to cope with challenging missions, through training, logistics and financial support, as well as a stronger partnership between the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, is a crucial goal if we are to return the continent to peace and security. That is one of the reasons why Ghana attaches importance to regional and subregional peacekeeping initiatives.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“One important means of achieving this objective in the midst of violent conflicts that keep erupting has been to undertake peacekeeping all over the world. Ghana has been and will continue to be a major contributor to this effort, as conflicts in Africa especially pose a major challenge to the United Nations efforts to bring about global peace and prosperity. The situations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone, to name only two examples, amply demonstrate the complexities of the challenges which the United Nations must show it can handle. In the West African subregion, for example, we must all cooperate in imposing a ban on the purchase of small arms and especially on the purchase of diamonds that are not controlled by the Certificate of Origin regime from countries in conflict.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“We have also sought ways of dealing with the impact of globalization on international trade and investment. We should not resign ourselves to these reversals, nor should we accept living with them. To do so would defeat the objective of development. The way forward 18 is not only to revitalize the United Nations to enable it to strive more boldly for a more equitable global society, but also to work together to ensure that equity, fairness and solidarity characterize international relations. On the important question of maintaining international peace and security, the role of the United Nations has been, without doubt, that of facilitating conditions under which countries and peoples may live together securely and harmoniously in order to give free rein to their creative talents.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Today, there is no greater challenge facing our world and no greater issue defining this millennium than the debilitating inhumanity of poverty, its heavy hand on wealth creation, its fast spread across the world, the deadly effect of economic insecurity on peace and security and its impact on the environment. It is thus perplexing that under the effect of globalization, deprivation and inequality are accelerating globally with as much speed as innovation, technological progress and integration, although in different directions. Our collective ingenuity, that of both developed and developing, is called upon to produce answers that will bring us closer than ever before to the purposes of the Charter. We have encountered disappointments as the international community has striven for peace, security, development and respect for human rights.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“It recognized a United Nations capable of promoting a new development agenda that is people- oriented and which also guarantees greater participation of stakeholders, particularly women, the youth, the private sector and civil society at large; a United Nations that has been revitalized to play a more meaningful role in helping developing countries meet the challenges of poverty reduction, political pluralism and the ongoing process of globalization; a United Nations that boldly plays its role as an Organization working for the good of all, with the confidence of the world's people. The conjunction of the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly and the beginning of a new millennium provides a symbolic departure point for the international community to seek to do better in all areas of its endeavour.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“Indeed, the General Assembly gave impetus to such an agenda when, in December 1998, it decided to hold the Millennium events, believing strongly that the turn of the century was a unique and symbolically compelling moment to articulate and affirm an animating vision for the United Nations in the new era. Barely a fortnight ago, world leaders met here in New York, following that commitment, to address the challenges of the new century, reaffirm their commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and to demonstrate political will for the new process. The message that emerged from the statements made by the heads of State or Government at the Millennium Summit was the reaffirmation of the unique role of the United Nations in offering the best, and only, universal framework for confronting the challenges of the millennium.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“On behalf of my delegation, Sir, I wish to congratulate you sincerely on your election as President of the fifty-fifth session of the General Assembly. This session is indeed historic, coming as it does in the wake of a Millennium Summit that witnessed the presence of the largest-ever gathering of political leaders of the international community. I also wish to commend the other members of the Bureau on their election. May I also take this opportunity to pay a richly deserved tribute to your predecessor, Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab, Foreign Minister of Namibia, whose deep sense of duty and commitment to social justice helped shape the United Nations agenda for the new century.”
2000-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 55 (2000)
“In this connection, it is our firm conviction that the regular and peacekeeping budgets of the Organization should be determined solely by the General Assembly in accordance with each country’s ability to pay, among other factors, as objectively evaluated within the Organization. Unilateral decisions that worsen the financial situation of the United Nations must be avoided. We have an opportunity to draw lessons from our immediate past history and to shape a new millennium in our best image, just as the great statesmen of this century did in the aftermath of the Second World War. We would not be true to ourselves if we sought refuge in half measures. We must use our best endeavours to build a new world for a new millennium we can be proud of. Our collective wisdom demands this. Our civilized values insist on this. We can do no less.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The United Nations must therefore play a fundamental and central role in the re-design of global governance and in global governance itself. It cannot do so, however, when it is constantly requested to do more for all people while it is being given less and less resources. It will certainly lack the institutional framework for global leadership when national leaders fail to stand up for it or its enduring values. Given the onerous responsibilities of the Organization and the expectations of the Member States, the timely, full and unconditional payment of assessed contributions would be an expression of our commitment and support as the Organization prepares to meet the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“This year, we also commemorate the tenth anniversary of the adoption by this Assembly of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, by which all Member States pledged to promote and protect the rights of children. Despite the Convention, however, the rights of children continue to be violated through child labour, commercial sex, exploitation, early marriage and the use of children in armed conflicts. This situation indicates that mere ratification of the Convention is not enough. Children would be protected and their rights promoted only by a conscious effort on the part of Governments to effectively implement the provisions of the Convention. The United Nations and other international organizations are justifiably preoccupied with governance because it is the basis of all progress.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In this connection, let me express my delegation’s appreciation for the adoption of an optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which, among others, recognizes the competence of CEDAW to receive and consider communications submitted by or on behalf of individuals or groups of individuals, under the jurisdiction of a State Party, claiming to be victims of a violation of any of the rights set forth in the Convention by the State Party. We are happy that after so many years, women now have an effective instrument in their hands to fight discrimination, and we urge the adoption of the draft optional protocol to the Convention.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Discrimination, denial and violence against women and girls persist, embedded in cultural, traditional and religious practices around the world, despite the increasing public debate on gender issues. Gender mainstreaming into national, regional and international policies and programmes, as well as the provision of adequate resources for implementation as spelt out in the Beijing Platform for Action, represents one of the crucial strategies for attaining gender equity and equality. But in the final analysis, the critical step in protecting women’s rights is to empower women through education and increased awareness of their rights.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The developed countries must, in addition, implement their trade obligations in the 19 spirit that all must benefit from the trade rules. In this regard, the twin concepts of liberalization and globalization must afford developing countries economic justice in terms of markets and activities. They should not turn developing countries into perpetual consumers because of limited volume of goods and market access. As we approach the next century, we know we cannot build the kind of future we desire without the full participation of women. Although much has been achieved in advancing the status of women through the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, a lot still remains to be done.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“While we express our satisfaction, let me hasten to urge that care be taken to avoid the imposition of additional difficulties on HIPC countries in the process, such as are likely to befall HIPC gold-producing countries if the proposal to sell off some of the gold reserves of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to meet part of the cost of the expanded HIPC Initiative is followed through. Similarly, we pray all creditor countries not to present debt relief in conditionalities that would compel debtor countries to give up the relief option. In these days of globalization and trade liberalization, the developed countries must also open their markets to goods from developing countries, including providing greater access for the latter’s agricultural produce and services.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“If we must break the cycle of crises, poverty and instability, particularly in Africa, and if we must create the conditions for sustainable debt management on the continent, the creditor countries and institutions must be prepared to wipe out the debts of the countries involved in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt (HIPC) Initiative and begin the new millennium on a clean slate. In this connection, we note with appreciation the recently announced decision and support of the G-7 countries in broadening, deepening and accelerating the HIPC Initiative.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“My delegation continues to be concerned about the deterioration of official development assistance, even though we note with gratitude the decision by three industrialized countries to increase their gross national product allocation to aid, and the steadfastness of Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, which are providing more than 0.7 per cent of their gross national product. Official development assistance resources need to be increased to levels which, combined with the commitment of developing countries to deepening economic reforms, lead to early achievement of sustainability in growth, poverty reduction and macroeconomic stability.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The continued deterioration of economic conditions in Africa poses a challenge to all of us, especially as all statistics show that the world’s poor continue to wallow in abject poverty with only a dim hope of improvement in their living standards. One of the main requirements of our current session of the General Assembly is therefore to select for implementation those measures that will enable developing countries to grow out of poverty in a sustainable environment.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“More and more people are living at or below the poverty line, while individual security and well-being continue to face disruptions from civil conflict and disease. Malnutrition, malaria, AIDS, diarrheal and communicable diseases continue to kill millions of people, stifling the economic potential of large segments of populations. HIV/AIDS alone has killed in the last decade more Africans than have all the conflicts and other diseases. It is a frightening thought that millions of Africa’s young and productive populations will be killed by this pandemic in the next few years. What development and progress are we talking about, then, if we will have no human resource to implement them?”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The people of that territory must exercise true self-determination and we believe that, since the Polisario Front and Morocco have accepted the Secretary- General’s programme on implementation of the Settlement Plan for the referendum in the territory, then the promised referendum should be held without further delay. We call on all stakeholders to demonstrate good will and fairness by ensuring a free and fair referendum. The phenomenon of extreme and widespread poverty in the midst of plenty in the world is a serious indictment of the conscience and political will of the international community. Compared to the social situation at the onset of this century, the next century begins with an even bleaker outlook.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Since a significant number of States Members of the United Nations are the product of self-determination, our Organization has a moral and political obligation to bring East Timor to self-rule. We call on both the United Nations and the administering Power, therefore, to take all measures necessary to restore peace and tranquility so that the true wishes of the people, as clearly expressed in the recent referendum, can be respected without further delay. If we are concerned about subjugated territories, then we cannot remain silent over the continued plight of Western Sahara.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Nevertheless, the goal of the Plan of Action for the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism has not been realized, since 17 Non-Self-Governing 18 Territories remain on the agenda of this Assembly. We reiterate our continued belief in the right of all peoples to self-determination in accordance with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and call on the administering, occupying or colonial Powers to cooperate with the relevant institutions of the United Nations for the speedy determination of self-rule. While we congratulate the United Nations and ourselves for the commendable record in bringing colonies to self-rule, we cannot hide our deep disappointment at the recent turn of events in East Timor.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“My Government, in recognition of the need to address this problem and the related issue of the forced participation of children in armed conflicts, intends to jointly host with the Government of Canada a workshop aimed at building on the Mali moratorium and establishing a framework for keeping children out of conflicts. It is our hope that the support of the international community will be forthcoming when the time comes. We are at the dawn of the new millennium, concluding a period in which the decolonization movement has brought about one of the century’s signal transformations: that of more than 80 nations from colonial status to self-rule and membership of this Organization. This is a commendable achievement.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Naturally, we welcome the recent decision taken on small arms and light weapons by the heads of State of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) at their recent summit in Algiers which, among others, called on OAU member States to adopt a coordinated approach to the problems posed by the illicit trafficking, circulation and proliferation of these arms. We also urge all friends of Africa to support the implementation of the moratorium on the import, export and manufacture of small arms and light weapons in West Africa, which aims at stemming the illicit traffic in these weapons in our subregion.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Against this background, my delegation reiterates the warning that the parties and non-parties to the NPT alike will not continue indefinitely to abide by the Treaty while the nuclear-weapon countries continue to ignore the calls of the international community to abide by their NPT commitments and pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament under strict and effective international control. The proliferation of conventional weapons, notably small and light weapons, is equally of concern, since they are the tools of violence and conflict in Africa. My delegation commends all the efforts aimed at securing international cooperation and coordination in the struggle against the accumulation, proliferation and widespread use of small arms.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are indispensable for the preservation of world peace. Yet the lack of commitment and political will of the nuclear weapon countries continues to impede the process of nuclear disarmament. This is demonstrated by the failure of the three Preparatory Committee sessions for the 2000 Review Conference for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The sacrifices in material resources and the costs in human terms have not been in vain, since the maintenance of peace and security and post-conflict peace- building have been critical in assuring all of us of the global tranquillity necessary for sustained development. My delegation believes therefore that the time has come for the international community to do in Africa as much as it has done in other areas, particularly the Balkans, to guarantee peace. We have seen in the past few months the kind of resources that the world has been willing and able to mobilize in the Balkans on short notice. We do not see the same response to the tragedies of Africa. African Member States feel discriminated against when the response of the international community to conflicts on the continent continues to be muted or lukewarm.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Happily, recent changes in the political landscape of Israel offer grounds for renewed optimism. We thus share the conviction of the Palestinian leader, Chairman Yasser Arafat, that Mr. Ehud Barak’s victory has raised hopes for peace throughout the region. We commend the bold initiative taken by the Israeli leader, soon after assuming office, to resume dialogue and reach a meeting of minds with the Palestinians. The challenge ahead is enormous but not insurmountable; it will require painful compromises on sensitive issues. We urge all parties to negotiate in good faith towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East. Ghana is proud of its participation and record in the peacekeeping efforts of the Organization in all regions of the world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“17 No issue in recent memory has frustrated the international community more than the Middle East peace process. Last year, as the world marked the fiftieth anniversary of the forcible dispossession of the Palestinian people of their lands, homes and property, the Wye River Memorandum was agreed, offering a fresh impetus and hope for progress. However, subsequent events — characterized by prevarications, recriminations and bad faith — inhibited full implementation of the Memorandum. Even more painful has been the seeming helplessness of the international community in the face of such obvious injustice. Ghana reiterates its unwavering support for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to the establishment of an independent sovereign State with Jerusalem as its capital.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Another area of concern to the international community has been the lingering disagreements with the great Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. My delegation welcomes the positive events of 5 April 1999, by which the two Libyan nationals arrived in the Netherlands for trial by a Scottish court, in connection with the Lockerbie incident. We therefore can do no less than to reiterate the position of the Group of African States at the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Council of the League of Arab States that, as a matter of urgency, the Security Council should move beyond a mere suspension to a complete lifting of the sanctions imposed against the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, since Libya has cooperated fully and fulfilled all the requirements of the relevant resolutions.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Particularly, Ghana considers the extraterritorial effect of the Helms-Burton and D’Amato legislation an infringement on the territorial integrity of States and an impediment to international navigation and free trade. In this regard, we are concerned that the economic blockade continues to severely aggravate the plight of Cubans, especially the vulnerable groups such as women, children and the elderly. Given the United States Government’s recent sensitivity to the concerns of the international community, Ghana would like to urge it to seriously consider the resumption of indirect relations with Cuba. We are convinced that such contacts will yield desired results, especially if they take place in the context of constructive dialogue with the Cuban Government.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“My delegation believes that we can succeed in our collective effort to achieve peace and prosperity in the next century if we begin to speak out boldly against some of the injustices on the international scene. We therefore reiterate our concern over the continued non-compliance with key United Nations resolutions that call for an end to the commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. It is our sincere conviction that the economic blockade of more than three decades’ vintage against Cuba and the Helms-Burton and D’Amato legislation are a breach of international law and a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Africa’s claim to at least two permanent seats should be adequately addressed, since Africa is the largest regional group in the Organization. We would also like to reiterate the proposal of the Non-Aligned Movement that a periodic review of the structure and functioning of the Security Council is necessary in order to ensure at all times that it responds more effectively to new challenges in international relations, especially in the maintenance of international peace and security. It is only through a restructuring of the Council on these lines that this body can avoid selectivity in dealing with issues of international peace and security and sustainable development. The present unequal handling of the causes and management of conflicts is unacceptable since it indirectly allows some conflicts to drag on.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)