Ukraine Security Council Meeting: Briefing on the Letter of Ukraine

Madam President,
I congratulate the UAE for its successful Presidency in the preceding month and wish you and the UK delegation the very best for this month.
 
Let me begin by thanking the Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres for his statement to the Council and welcoming the briefings of USG Rosemary DiCarlo and USG and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths on the prevailing situation in Ukraine and the coordinated response of the United Nations’ humanitarian agencies in the face of difficult operational challenges on the ground.
 
I also welcome the virtual participation, under Rule 37, of the President of Ukraine, His Excellency Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky. My delegation has taken careful note of Your Excellency’s remarks and note your country’s steadfast commitment to peace and encourage the path of dialogue and diplomacy in finding a settlement of this needless war.
 
I further acknowledge the participation of the Observer of the European Union Delegation to the United Nations under Rule 39.
 
Madam President,
The prolongation of the war in Ukraine continues to be a situation of deep concern for Ghana. We are particularly disturbed by the increasing humanitarian cost arising from the unjustified aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
 
We have observed with pain the unbridled bombardment of civilian populated areas as well as civilian and other critical infrastructure without regard to customary norms of international law and the principles of international humanitarian law relating to armed conflict.
 
Ghana is gravely concerned by the reports of alleged gross violations of international humanitarian law and international criminal law since the onset of the invasion, including emerging reports and images of human rights violations and the killing of civilians in Mariupol, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and areas on the outskirts of Kyiv such as Bucha. We support the call by the Secretary-General for an independent, impartial and thorough investigations to establish the facts and to hold all perpetrators of such atrocious crimes accountable for their actions.
 
The killing of children, the aged, medical personnel, humanitarian workers and journalists are deplorable and we condemn all such acts unreservedly.
 
We urge restraint on all sides and reemphasize the urgency of an unconditional cessation of hostilities nationwide, to enable the evacuation and safe passage of civilians and facilitate the delivery of life-saving aid to the people in the cities that remain under siege. Humanitarian agencies require unobstructed access to reach people in need of food, water and medicine and other critical supplies and all parties must guarantee such access.
 
The ravages of both the global COVID-19 pandemic and the situation in Ukraine demonstrates the inter-connectedness and interdependence of States and reinforces the need for a unified international response in support of the path of dialogue and diplomacy.
 
Madam, President,
We have followed closely the direct negotiations between the conflicting parties, and note the progress made in the fourth round of consultations which took place in Istanbul on 29th March 2022. To sustain the negotiations, we urge a restraint in the on-going hostilities and a follow through of the expressed commitments to resolve the security concerns of the parties.
In support of the efforts of the parties, the Council must at this time, focus attention on confidence-building measures that facilitate a negotiated settlement of the immediate conflict and the wider question of European security on the basis of international law and other internationally agreed frameworks. The convergence of the parties and the international community on these matters would be the only way to end the tensions, bridge the differences between the parties, and forge a unified and pacific position on the situation in Ukraine.
 
I thank you for your attention.