Speech

UN Day 2023 High-level Reception Statement by the UN Resident Coordinator for Ghana

26 October 2023

The UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Charles Abani, on behalf of the UN expressed his appreciation to the Government of Ghana and key partners for a fruitful year.

Good evening distinguished guests, and welcome to the 78th UN Day reception where we have the privilege of coming together, to express our deepest appreciation to all our partners, and to celebrate our achievements, connect and engage to build stronger ties and networks that will deepen our resolve to give of our best for the good of Ghana.

This gathering represents a convergence of key institutions and individuals across Government, civil society, the private sector and development partners - with whom we have collaborated in the past 12 months to achieve remarkable progress in our work in Ghana, and with who we look forward to building stronger ties for the task ahead – to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063.

Global solidarity within the context of the SDG Summit

Earlier today, in a formal speech at the Govt-hosted Flag raising ceremony, I commended Ghana for its leadership on the global stage – from peace and security, on climate change, on the need for reforms to the global multilateral architecture – especially to the Security Council and on the global financial system. Let me again congratulate Ghana in advance for being the first African nation to host the Peacekeeping Ministerial and wish you successful hosting in December. Let me thank you for another successful tenure on the UN Security Council which ends this year and also congratulate you on your recent election to the Human Rights Council for the period 2024 – 26. Ayekoo Ghana. The advances we have made, together with our partners, has been made possible because of your commitment, and nothing else, to support Ghana to achieve its vision of self-reliance. Ayekoo too to all our development partners.

Beneath the fast-paced and ever-changing world, lies a current of poly-crisis – from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic to conflict in Europe (and now in the Middle East) with its associated impact on global economy, and the disturbing effect of climate change. Today the hard-earned SDG progress is threatened, and the SDGs are falling significantly behind the 2030 target.

Midpoint to 2030, less than 20 per cent of targets are on track; close to half, though showing progress, are moderately or severely off track; and some 30 per cent have either seen no movement or regressed below the 2015 baseline. At current rates, only 30 per cent of all countries will achieve even SDG 1 on poverty by 2030. If present trends persist, we are told, by 2030, a staggering 575 million people will remain trapped in extreme poverty and 84 million children will be out of school. It will take nearly 300 years to close gender gaps in legal protection, eliminate discriminatory laws and end child marriage. These are dire statistics on our humanity, about faces and about people like you and I – all exacerbated by conflicts and natural disasters. Let us pause for a moment and express our solidary for all those across the globe affected by natural and man-made disasters and tragic conflicts that has displaced millions and resulted in catastrophic loss of life. At home here, we especially express solidarity with the victims of the floods in the Volta region. Let us join forces to provide humanitarian assistance and foster peaceful dialogue globally and locally.

And there are still yet other challenges. Our 21st century ambitions to make the world a better place, and our 20th century legacy structures and processes that defined the direction we need to go are clearly disconnected. We can achieve greater results if we change our approach. Given the interconnectedness of the SDGs, we need an integrated policy approach that navigates the synergies and trade-offs in taking a certain line of action different from the business-as-usual approach. Indeed, the SG has called for a ’rescue plan. We need solutions that focuses on all sides of the puzzle - holistically.

Just last month, we witnessed the convergence of world leaders, eager to recommit to move from rhetoric to action and to break through to a better world. The SDG Summit was a vital opportunity to outline fundamental shifts in commitment, solidarity, financing, and action that will put the world back on track to end poverty, realize just societies and reset a balanced relationship with the natural world. Achieving the SDGs requires a multi-faceted approach. The catalytic factors and multipliers that can help accelerate progress towards these goals have been identified as key transitions. They include: (1) food systems; (2) energy access and affordability; (3) digital connectivity; (4) education; (5) jobs and social protection; and (6) climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. They represent a useful organizing frame that can spotlight investment pathways to accelerate SDG progress within and across countries, with the prevailing country context determining the priority level and action accorded to each area.

Moreover, since the SDGs are interconnected, so too are these six transitions. For instance, as significant contributors to greenhouse emissions, both energy and food systems are inextricably linked with climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. As such, achieving these transitions also calls for a transformation of the dominant traditional, siloed economic models, markets, incentives, and policies within and across countries.

Fortunately, Ghana is already applying the concept of the transformative entry points in its development agenda. Its 2023 SDGs technical report, which was coordinated by the National Development Planning Commission through the various consultations and engagement highlights accountable and strong institutions, employment, education, health and sanitation and energy efficiency are catalytic areas essential to drive SDGs implementation and achievement. These are areas align well with the transitions.

Summit of the Future

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, permit me ask you all to look to the future. The challenges we face today are universal, and they require universal solutions and cannot be solved through small groupings of states or just by coalitions of the willing. Addressing the host of consequential and multifaceted risks in today’s world requires a reformed multilateralism approach that will create new opportunities geared towards equity, and a safer and more peaceful world.

The Summit of the Future, to be held in September 2024, will bring world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future. It is a unique opportunity to help rebuild trust and bring outdated multilateral institutions and frameworks into line with today’s world, based on equity and solidarity.

The Summit of the Future will adopt an inter-governmentally negotiated Pact for the Future, reaffirm the United Nations Charter; reinvigorate multilateralism; boost implementation of existing commitments; and agree on solutions to new challenges. It will work towards a Pact covering five key areas: Sustainable Development & Financing for Development; International Peace and Security; Science, Technology and Innovation, and Digital Cooperation; Youth and Future Generations; and Transforming Global Governance. We strongly encourage Ghana to be at the forefront of this important global dialogue, under the co-chairship of Namibia and Germany.

The Cooperation Framework, Key areas and the 5 cross cutting issues

In April this year, the United Nations in Ghana and the Government of Ghana signed a new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. Through it almost 50 UN entities that work in Ghana will deploy an estimated US$500 million over the period to empower institutions and people through capacity development and other provisions, supporting three key areas – Inclusive Economic Transformation; Equitable Access to Services; and Durable Peace in Ghana and in the Sub-region. This agreement demonstrates the UN’s commitment to stand with Ghana on its forward-looking ambition to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs and Agenda 2063 and integrates the cross-cutting issues of Financing the SDGs, Climate Action and the triple planetary crisis, Digital transformation, Urbanization, Human Rights and Leaving No One Behind (LNOB – especially women and girls, children, Youth and persons with disability), and Governance and decentralization. The Cooperation Framework also represents a new way of working, reflecting a more integrated approach and embodies the spirit of partnership amongst agencies, as well as between the UN and our partners in Ghana – with Government, the private sector and civil society and development partners.

More importantly, recent developments outside Ghana call for a pragmatic approach that will address the emerging vulnerabilities to political instability and insecurity. As such our work and activities are tailored towards sustaining the peace in the country in line with the new Agenda for Peace which is anchored on three pillars namely trust, solidarity and universality.

Ghana’s elections 2024:

Distinguished guests, freedom and peace provide the essential stability, without which our plans cannot take root or progress. As Ghana prepares for another democratic transition, the world certainly looks to Ghana to live up to its reputation as the true beacon of democracy in the region, deepening its demonstrated democratic maturity and stability. We look ahead to 2024 with optimism and confidence. This must be built on a foundation of peace. We commend the various stakeholders for exemplifying peace in their jurisdictions, and promoting tolerance, respect and freedom of expression. It is against this background that the United Nations in Ghana, in collaboration with the National Peace Council has launched the “I Pledge for Peace” campaign - a year-long initiative that seeks to promote peace and calls on key stakeholders to pledge for peace before, during and after the presidential and parliamentary elections in the country. We call on all partners to join the campaign.

Conclusion

We have an inherent responsibility to support Ghana in its pursuit of progress and prosperity, and this is especially critical now. The UN in Ghana will continue to provide the impetus to support Ghana as it lays the blocks for a better future, a future where all the people of Ghana can live better lives and fulfill their potential and contribute to the development of their country. This is our commitment to Ghana.

Let me conclude by expressing our profound appreciation to all our partners - the government of Ghana, civil society, the private sector and the international community and development partners. Let me also express my personal thanks to all UN staff who have worked tirelessly over the past year. Thank you all.