Ghana assumes Chairmanship of African Group of Permanent Representatives in New York

Excellency Harold Agyeman4

Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations,  His Excellency Harold Agyeman, on Friday, October 1, 2021, took over the chairmanship of African Group of Permanent Representatives.

As the Chair for the month, he pledged to lead the affairs of the Group in a spirit of brotherly solidarity, openness, and in a constructive and consultative manner to enable the divergent but rich perspectives of all members States of the Group to be effectively harnessed in promoting the interests of the continent within the United Nations system.
Full Message below

 

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

It is my distinct honour and privilege to be called upon to assume the rotating chairmanship of the African Group of Permanent Representatives in New York for the month of October 2021.

As the Chair for the month, I pledge to lead the affairs of the Group in a spirit of brotherly solidarity, openness, and in a constructive and consultative manner to enable the divergent but rich perspectives of all members States of the Group to be effectively harnessed in promoting the interests of the continent within the United Nations system.

 

The month of October 2021 marks the commencement of intensive work within the Main Committees of the United Nations General Assembly and this requires of the African Group sustained coherence of action and an enduring commitment to see through negotiations on the many questions of specific interest to the Group.

 

 

  • Within the First Committee, the long-standing question of nuclear disarmament continues to be an important agenda item, in addition to the subject of small arms and light weapons, which requires sustained engagement in order to support the African Union initiative for Silencing the Guns.

 

  • Macroeconomic policy questions such as external debt sustainability and Financing for Development remain important questions of interest for Africa on account of the adverse impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on export revenues, national fiscal situations and debt servicing; all at a time that new and additional resources are required for the implementation of programmes that help bring countries back on track to achieve the sustainable development goals.

 

  • The priority of enhancing social development policies to safeguard vulnerable populations in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic, the advancement of the agenda of women and girls’ empowerment, and the promotion of human rights would be an important plank of work within the Programme of Work of the Third Committee.

 

  • The Group’s interest during the month would also, within the Fourth Committee, focus on the question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects as well as on addressing the interests of non-self-governing territories in accordance with international law.

 

  • To ensure that the United Nations programmes of interest for the African Group are effectively implemented, the Group would participate actively in the validation of planned United Nations programmes and the appropriation of the required budgets using a scale of assessment that fairly apportions the expenses of the Organisation.

 

  • In the context of the Sixth Committee, the African Group’s interest in promoting justice and international law, taking into account the legal traditions and jurisprudence of the continent, would be sustained to enhance Africa’s contribution to the multilateral rules-based international order.

 

Undoubtedly, the month of October 2021 promises to be a busy month for all African delegations to the United Nations. The broad representation of African countries within the United Nations should, however, assure all delegations, particularly those delegations with smaller sizes that working together within the established system of African coordination in the Main Committees of the United Nations General Assembly, the general interest of the countries of the continent as well as unique national interests can be effectively pursued during the 76th Session.

 

Ubuntu!!!

 

Harold Adlai Agyeman
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of
Ghana to the United Nations

 

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