YouSaid · the spoken record

John Evans Atta Mills

lines on the record: 31
first: 2009-09-24
most recent: 2011-09-24
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

“Our democratic credentials stand tall, and we would not want anything to affect the standard that we have achieved. Just as the United Nations and the rest of the international community kept an eye on the 2008 elections in Ghana, I should like to invite you, Mr. President, and all others to come and do the same in connection with the 2012 elections. We want to make sure that people are given the right to vote and choose their own leaders, instead of having leaders imposed on them or come in through unauthorized means. Finally, I wish to reaffirm Ghana’s total commitment to the aims, objectives and ideals of the United Nations. I also want to advocate that all Member States muster the necessary political will to ensure that the United Nations functions more effectively.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We are taking steps to expand our adherence to the rule of law, the promotion of transparency and good governance, the maintenance of the independence and integrity of the judiciary, and the promotion of a free media. We also subscribe to the global norm of the responsibility to protect, and we promise to work hand in glove with member countries, the United Nations and others to achieve this. A little over a year from now Ghana will be going to the polls to elect a President and Members of Parliament for another four years. To ensure that the elections are free, fair, transparent and credible, our Electoral Commission — which has successfully organized the last three elections, since the year 2000 — has put in place the necessary measures to enable Ghanaians to make their choices in a free atmosphere.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“What remains to be done is to determine the sources of funding for the Fund and also to empower the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to have control over the Green Climate Fund. On the political and security fronts, Ghana notices a paradigm shift, or at least a shift in emphasis, from national security to human security. We agree that interventions targeted on human security will eventually define our national security. We are therefore implementing measures that will help us make this concept take form through the adoption of the necessary legislative measures, institutions and reforms.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As we move closer to the climate change negotiations scheduled for Durban, South Africa, it is our expectation that the critical political questions that could not be answered during the United Nations Climate Change Conference at Cancún will be addressed. With regard to mitigation, we believe that we need political commitment, a high sense of flexibility and strong leadership to ensure that at the Durban Conference the second round of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol will be addressed or some transitional arrangement made. Again with regard to mitigation, we believe that all pledged commitments and actions should be quantified, monitored and verified by the international community. We commend the obvious progress made in the design of the institutions of adaptation, such as the Green Climate Fund.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Although as a continent we contribute only 4 per cent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, we are the most vulnerable when it comes to climate change. Therefore urgent and concerted action is needed to enable us to maximize the opportunity that climate change offers. We believe that with the right investments in technology, institutions and infrastructure by the international community and nation-States, we will be able to unleash the potential of agriculture, harness the maximum benefit from water resources, expand access to modern energy sources, fight diseases and conserve tropical forests.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As we continue to invest heavily in our youth by expanding educational opportunities and making it possible for the disadvantaged to have access to formal schooling, we believe we are laying the right foundation. The provision of free school uniforms, free exercise books and the elimination of more than one thousand schools under trees, turning them into brick-and-mortar structures, should be ample evidence of our determination to brighten the future of youth. Certainly Ghana’s oil and gas find should present us with a greater opportunity to create the conditions under which we will be able to create more jobs to solve youth unemployment in our country. Climate change is the defining human development challenge of the twenty-first century and one of the greatest threats to sustainable development in Africa.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We have re-engineered our policies in order to give more meaning to health-care delivery. Ghana recognizes and appreciates the contribution of youth to nation-building and the growth and sustenance of our democracy. We believe that the adoption of the political declaration urging Member States to adopt comprehensive plans and measures to give meaning to youth development is commendable, especially since this is the International Year of Youth. In Ghana we are implementing policies that are intended to situate young men and women in the centre of nation-building. One of the main reasons for our relentless fight against drug trafficking is to ensure that we secure the future of our young men and women, who, after all, 3 11-51185 will be the future leaders of our dear nations.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It is noteworthy that the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases focused on the developmental drawbacks and socio-economic impact on developing countries where the relevant facilities are not available. Indeed, we are of the opinion that the effective prevention and control of non-communicable diseases not only helps to reduce poverty but also decreases health-care costs, thereby improving productivity and ultimately helping with rapid economic development. Efforts in Ghana to improve the health-care system include the completion of the health-care infrastructure in several parts of the country, the scaling-up of the National Ambulance Service to cover all districts and the training of emergency medical technicians.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“On the occasion of the High-level Meeting to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, Ghana recognizes the progress so far made in this area by the opportunity given to Member States to reaffirm and strengthen their political commitment to the prevention of and fight against racism and racial discrimination in all its forms. We are confident that the effective implementation of the outcome policy (see resolution 66/3) will indeed ensure the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by all, including the victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in all societies.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It is critical as member States of the international community that we break gender stereotypes, which after all are the root cause of the myriad of gender-inequality challenges facing us throughout the world. Ghana’s efforts are focused on addressing gender imbalances and misconceptions and on improving the living conditions of women and girls, bearing in mind that in solving the gender issue we would be taking concrete steps towards the attainment of a majority of the Millennium Development Goals. It is our expectation that the objectives of UN-Women will be met.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“For developing countries such as Ghana, the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons and other conventional weaponry continues to pose a serious threat to our national security and to our socio-economic and political stability, given the linkage to other crimes such as terrorism, organized crime, drug trading and indeed human trafficking, among others. It is therefore imperative that the remaining meetings of the arms trade treaty Preparatory Committee produce proposals that would close the loopholes that allow the flow of these weapons from legitimate to illicit markets. The United Nations reached a significant milestone with the launch of UN-Women — the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Hence our satisfaction thus far with the outcomes of the meetings of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty held in New York last year and in February and March this year. As a nation, we consider a strong and effective arms trade treaty to be an indispensable step in preventing the flow of arms to destinations where they can cause mayhem and wreak havoc by fuelling conflicts that may in turn undermine national and regional peace, security and development, or exacerbate tensions that in the long run may create situations that need the deployment of United Nations peacekeepers.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We are aware of 11-51185 2 the financial constraints existing at all national levels, but we want to encourage Member States to meet their obligations to the United Nations so that the Organization can execute its mandate. Allow me to pay tribute to all United Nations personnel — including those from my own country, Ghana — who in the course of the year made the ultimate sacrifice while on United Nations peacekeeping missions. May their souls rest in peace and their sacrifice be cherished and remembered. Another issue that we are following with keen interest is the proposed arms trade treaty. Ghana fully supports this and thinks it is necessary.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As one of the top contributors of police and troops to United Nations activities, Ghana remains unwavering in its commitment to the ideals and objectives of the United Nations. Accordingly, I want to assure Members that as long as financial, human and material capacities exist at the national level, Ghana will continue to provide troops and police personnel for United Nations operations. But it is important that the burden and costs to the United Nations of these activities be equitably shared among Member States. We think that countries such as Ghana that provide troops and police personnel for these operations must be financially supported by donor countries in a timely manner.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It is a long-established fact that United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities have contributed immensely to the Organization’s efforts for the maintenance of international peace and security over the years. We observe, however, that this activity continues to take on complex dimensions that require long-term planning and urgent reforms in order to enable the United Nations to tackle the challenges that crop up. It is in this connection that Ghana reaffirms its support for the ongoing reform agenda being undertaken by the United Nations in consultation with the troop- and police-contributing countries. However, we do want to emphasize that regular tripartite consultations are needed among the United Nations, the Secretariat, the Security Council and the troop- and police-contributing countries.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Permit me to extend hearty congratulations to you, Sir, on your election as President of the General Assembly at this session. May I also use this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to your predecessor, Mr. Joseph Deiss, for the able manner in which he presided over the sixty-fifth session. Ghana joins the rest of the world in welcoming our sister country, South Sudan, to the family of the United Nations. It is our fervent hope that South Sudan, having taken its rightful place in this body, will grow and prosper. We also want to congratulate the Secretary-General on his appointment to a second term. It is a clear manifestation of his excellent performance during his first term.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We are convinced that the United Nations remains the ideal multilateral instrument for achieving international peace and security and promoting fruitful international cooperation. I would therefore want all of us to strengthen our resolve and muster the necessary political will to assist the United Nations to more effectively discharge its obligation to redeem our peoples from war, disease and poverty. We in Ghana have pledged to build a better Ghana. We therefore want to assist the United Nations to build a better world. May God bless us in all these efforts.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I can assure him of Ghana’s commitment and support. 09-52320 6 In conclusion, I note with regret that conflicts, particularly in the developing world, have robbed us of an opportunity to improve the circumstances of our peoples. Indeed, it is well known that sustainable development can only be achieved in an international environment characterized by peace and stability. We in Ghana therefore want to take this opportunity to renew our commitment to the ideals of the United Nations and to fulfil our Charter obligations by joining together with other Member States to assist the United Nations in playing its role in the maintenance of international peace and stability and in the promotion of fruitful international cooperation.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Our efforts have yielded some measure of success, as clearly testified to by the appointment of our first female speaker of parliament, the first female attorney-general, and quite a number of female ministers and deputy ministers. At its sixty-third session, the General Assembly adopted resolution 63/194, urging us to improve our efforts and join the international initiative against human trafficking and for the protection of victims. We in Ghana concur with those who view the elaboration and adoption of a United Nations global plan of action as an effective and practical way to give life and effect to the international initiative against this despicable crime. It is our expectation that the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session will make this an urgent and priority issue.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“We call for its intensification to enable it to take advantage of the cooperative strength of the United Nations and regional organizations in a mutually complementary manner. Next year marks the fifteenth year since the adoption, at the Fourth World Conference on Women, of the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action. In view of the huge gap between policy and practice and the unyielding progress in implementing that international convention on gender equality and the empowerment of women, it is our suggestion that we need to take a coherent, integrated and multisectoral approach to this problem. Over the years, Ghana has demonstrated its commitment to implementing in an accelerated manner the goals of the Beijing Platform for Action, and we have done so by adopting concrete administrative, legal and constitutional means.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Peacekeeping operations have played a pivotal role in the Organization’s efforts to fulfil its core mission of maintaining international peace and security. Ghana, as one of the oldest and most consistent troop-contributing countries, deems it a matter of privilege and honour to be associated with this success story of our Organization. We equally acknowledge that increasing demands have placed further strain on an overstretched system. It is for this reason that we applaud and renew our support for the reform process that is in place and also acknowledge the fruitful dividends that have come out of it, even though we admit that much more needs to be done if we are to achieve our objectives. Ghana cannot but commend the growing cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“In fact, progress on these issues will be crucial in determining any outcome in Copenhagen. The intrinsic link between security and development has been generally recognized by the international community. Despite the pivotal role played by the United Nations in identifying the threats confronting the international community and marshalling the necessary international support to deal with those challenges, humanity’s hope and aspiration for a peaceful and prosperous world are weakened by a litany of unfulfilled promises and failures. Rather than being discouraged by these shortcomings, we in Ghana are unwavering in our conviction that, though daunting, the challenge to the community of nations could be surmounted through innovative, bold, and achievable measures.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“In spite of the difficulties and challenges, I can say without fear of contradiction that, leaders across the continent have embraced democratic values, except in a few cases where narrow self-interests are threatening the commendable gains that we have made in the past decade. We are also confronted with the grave risks to environmental, social and economic development posed by climate change. The need for concrete, timely and decisive measures to enable us to deal with this largely man-made problem is obvious, and meeting that need must not be deferred any longer. As we proceed to the United Nations Climate Change Conference scheduled for December 2009 in Copenhagen, the issue of financing mitigation and adaptation to climate change in developing countries will remain central to the deliberations.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“These developments do not work in the interest of our developing countries. Indeed, trade-distorting subsidies, as well as tariff and non-tariff barriers instituted by most advanced countries, discriminate against African products. Developing countries, 5 09-52320 including Ghana, though we accept that liberalization is, indeed, required, believe that liberalization must be accompanied by predictable access to markets, elimination of the abuse of anti-dumping measures as well as the reduction of tariffs and non-tariff barriers. In the face of all these developments, we in Africa acknowledge and recognize that all our efforts to achieve social and economic development will not yield much result unless we demonstrate our commitment to good governance.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“International trade carries enormous potential for poverty reduction and alleviation as well as for driving economic growth so that millions of our people can be lifted out of the quagmire of poverty. The ongoing Doha Round of trade talks promises, at least in principle, to improve market access for poor countries. This commitment, in our view, is very important, especially in low-skill and labour-intensive sectors such as garment manufacturing, from where most African exports come. Sustained economic growth requires that poor countries increase their exports to rich countries. Unfortunately, the current system of trade discriminates against poor countries, hinders their participation in the global economy and damages the earning potential and opportunities of rural communities in those countries.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“In addressing the impact of the crisis on their economies, African countries would like to see the following: rich countries making a greater effort to meet existing commitments on aid and debt reduction; the acceleration of disbursements and improved access to existing financial facilities; the International Monetary Fund (IMF) being urged to put in place a new facility with relaxed conditions to help African development during this crisis period; a capital increase for the African Development Bank to enable it to scale up its interventions in support of African development; the sale of IMF gold reserves to release more resources to help African development during this period; and finally, the issuance of new Special Drawing Rights.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“A number of developing countries have adopted various measures to mitigate the impact of the crisis on their economies, including interest rate reductions, recapitalization of financial institutions, trading reforms, and increased liquidity to banks. Ghana has also exercised fiscal restraint in response to the crisis, by cutting out all low-priority public spending and shifting the balance from recurrent expenditure to infrastructure investment.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“In fact, over-reliance on high commodity prices and mineral exports has not lessened, but rather exposed structural impediments to food security. That is particularly true of sub-Saharan Africa, where the ongoing world financial and economic crisis threatens to erode decades of modest growth, and thereby make the Millennium Development Goals unattainable in any meaningful way. Ghana, therefore, reiterates its support for global integration that ensures inclusive and equitable development and also leads to a substantial reduction in poverty, including full and productive employment and broad access to social services.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Therefore, it is my humble proposal that we all support the United Nations and its regional allies, such as the African Union, in living up to those and to the other pressing challenges facing the international community. While we acknowledge that globalization has expanded and accelerated economic interdependence among States, the truth is that the benefits for many developing countries have been negligible. Indeed, the economies of many developing countries have not been transformed in any significant manner. Despite almost a decade of impressive growth of about 5 per cent, only a few countries have been able to reduce the proportion of their population living on less than $1 per day. Consequently, most of those countries remain vulnerable to the various external shocks that continue to pose threats to their growth.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“Nkrumah’s declaration before the General Assembly on 23 September 1960 that the United Nations was the only organization to hold out any hope for the future of mankind. At the same session, he called for the reform of the Security Council in order to bring it in line with a rapidly changing world. Those views were expressed almost 50 years ago, but they remain relevant. Then, as now, Africa faced a deep crisis, with profound and far-reaching implications for international peace and stability. Today, the combined effects of climate change, high food and energy prices and the current financial and economic crisis threaten to erode the modest but hard-earned economic growth and democratic achievements of the past two decades. Africa remains volatile, and violent conflicts still persist.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)
“I bring very warm greetings from the people of Ghana. Allow me to join previous speakers in congratulating the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session on his election. His long distinguished service to his country and to Africa gives us confidence that we are in experienced and capable hands. I also wish to express my delegation’s appreciation to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, for the able manner in which he presided over the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. Last Monday, 21 September, Ghana celebrated the centenary of the birth of an illustrious son of Ghana and of Africa, our first President, Mr. Kwame 09-52320 4 Nkrumah, under whose leadership Ghana became a Member of the United Nations on 8 March 1957, only two days after achieving independence. We recall Mr.”
2009-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 64 (2009)