President Akufo-Addo addresses United Nations
Ghanaians will focus attention on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo today when he delivers his maiden address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at its headquarters in New York, USA.
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President Nana Akufo-Addo is among new African Presidents making their first appearance at the UNGA.
The others are President Adama Barrow of The Gambia and Somalia’s Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo.
When he mounts the podium to speak to the biggest gathering of world leaders, the President, who is among leaders from the 193 member states of the UN attending the 72nd Summit, will deliver a speech that is expected to push for a safer and more peaceful world.
But, traditionally, he will touch on developments at home, not forgetting what he had been propagating since assuming the Presidency — Africa beyond aid.
Theme
The theme for the summit is: “Focusing on people: Striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet”.
The theme was chosen against the backdrop of current global challenges, including hunger, poverty, conflicts, refugee crisis and terrorism.
Africa has had a huge share of the development challenges that are the rationale behind the theme for the summit.
Spur discussion
Consequently, President Nana Akufo-Addo, like his peers, will use his speech to spur discussions on how to overcome the challenges that continue to threaten global peace.
Ahead of his address, the President had been busy honouring various engagements, among which was a lecture he delivered at the fifth International Conference on Sustainable Development at the Earth Institute, Columbia University, last Monday.
He is the co-Chair of the Advocacy Group of Eminent Persons for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Experience
President Nana Akufo-Addo is not entirely a stranger to the UN and will thus deliver his speech with some measure of UN experience.
In August 2006, then as Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister under the John Agyekum Kufuor administration, he chaired a high-level UN Security Council meeting that took the decision to halt Israel’s incursions into Lebanon.
