Govt committed to reproductive health - Foreign Minister
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has said that the government was committed to tackling issues of adolescent pregnancy, maternal mortality and youth empowerment in the country.
She indicated that the government will therefore continue to collaborate with the United Nation’s Population Fund (UNFPA) to realise sexual and reproductive health for every Ghanaian.
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“The Government of Ghana is interested and thus, the Ministry will be committed to supporting the work of UNFPA in Ghana,” Ms Botchwey added.
New UNFPA Representative
The minister said this when the new Country Representative of the UNFPA, Dr. David Wilfred Ochan presented his credentials to her at her office in Accra.
She congratulated Dr. Ochan on his appointment and for assuming duties in Ghana and welcomed him to the country.
Dr. Ochan expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for its recent assistance in the approval of the UNFPA’s eighth Country Programme (2023–2027) and for supporting the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)+25 review processes and the on-going tracking systems with the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).
He further commended the Ministry for the strong support provided to UNFPA in Ghana; and in facilitating participation of Ghanaian delegates to international and regional fora organised by UN agency.
Government support
Dr. Ochan affirmed that UNFPA will continue to invest in promoting the wellbeing of the Ghanaian population through the approved eighth Country Programme and extended the regards of the UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem to the people of Ghana through the Foreign Minister.
He stated the “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has been very helpful to us. We pledge to continue doing our best to achieve zero maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning and zero sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices in Ghana with your support.”
The UNFPA Representative stressed the need to deepen work in these areas by working with government entities, the private sector, faith-based and cultural institutions, and women-and youth-led organisations, as well as taking advantage of opportunities for South-South and Triangular Cooperation.