Inter-Ministerial ad hoc Committee concludes meetings …Flag-raising set on Oct 24 to mark UN Day

The Inter-Ministerial ad hoc Com­mittee set up to plan activities to commemorate the 78th United Nation (UN) Day celebration on Tuesday completed its work.

A Director at the Multilateral Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Region­al Integration, Tahiru Iddrisu, who chairs the committee expressed appreciation to the members for their contribution to the work of the committee and urged them to play their respective roles for a successful celebration.

“It is an international event we have to put up our best in executing the plan of activities for a successful celebration,” he advised.

It is a tradition that the UN member countries hold series of activities including photo exhibition media engagement, sem­inars, panel discussions, symposia to raise public awareness on the significance of the UN established in 1945 as an international framework to safeguard global peace and security, protect human rights, promote justice and promote economic and social progress.

A flag-raising ceremony will be held on October 24 at the forecourt of the State House to climax the celebration, during which the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and UN Resident Co­ordinator, will inspect a parade mounted by a contingent of the Ghana Armed Forces.

The highlight of the event is the hoisting of the Ghana flag and that of the UN by the two key personalities, amidst the playing of the Ghana National Anthem, following which they will deliver speeches highlighting the significance of the UN and the theme of the celebration.

At the sides of the ceremony is the hold­ing of Model UN Assembly by students to be organised by Life Link, and a photo ex­hibition showcasing the activities of the UN that has been working through its agencies to improve the wellbeing of humanity over the past 78 years.

Ghana’s theme for the celebration is ‘Accelerating action towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda: Ghana’s contributions for a peace­ful, prosperous, progressive and sustainable future,’ couched out of the deliberations of the 78th session of the UN General Assem­bly which called for global action towards the SDGs.

This follows concern over impacts of climate disasters, conflict in various parts of the world, economic downturn, and lin­gering COVID-19 effects, that are affecting development efforts and reversing progress made towards creating peaceful and prosper­ous society without “leaving anyone behind.’

Ghana was admitted to the UN on March 8, 1957, two days after gaining independence from Britain, and has since been playing significant role in the affairs of the UN, no­tably being part of the top 10 contributors of troops in UN peacekeeping operations in troubles spots across the globe.

Ghana’s own, the late Kofi Annan rose through the UN ranks to serve as UN Sec­retary General (1997-2006) during which he oversaw the formulation and implementa­tion of the global development blueprint for global prosperity, Millennium Development Goals, which pave the way for the SDGs in 2015 to sustain the gains and build upon it for the next 15 years.

At the country level, Ghana works with the various UN agencies to implement key interventions to address development chal­lenges in the country.

Ghana and the UN system last year, signed the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) agreement for an estimated US$517m to implement three key pillars of work; Inclusive Economic Transformation; Equitable Access to Services; and Durable Peace, over three-year period.

 BY ALHAJI SALIFU ABDUL-RAHAMAN