UN Security Meeting: The Humanitarian Situation in Ukraine

 
Carolyn Oppong-Ntiri
Deputy Permanent Representative
March 29, 2022, Security Council Chamber
New York City
 
Madam President,
I would like to begin by thanking the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Msuya and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Mr. David Beasley for their briefings to the Council this afternoon. I also warmly welcome the participation in this meeting of the representative of Ukraine and the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States, Wendy Sherman.

Madam President,
Almost a week after the General Assembly voted in a landmark resolution, with an unequivocal call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and the return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy, the signs on the ground are yet to reflect the sentiments of the international community for an early improvement in the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
The call for an unconditional and immediate ceasefire and for the withdrawal of all the invading troops from the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine are critical to save lives and prevent further devastation to the Ukrainian people. It remains fundamental to addressing the worsening humanitarian conditions.
 
Ghana remains deeply concerned about the continuing military bombardment of cities and civilian populated areas of Ukraine and is disheartened by the trauma that the situation has caused, especially to the aged, women and children. We note with regret the loss of lives, the displacement of people and the overall suffering of the Ukrainian people from this needless war.
Never has it been necessary than now for the parties to the conflict to urgently commit to a humanitarian pause to enable the evacuation and safe passage of civilians and facilitate
the delivery of food, medicine and other essential services to those in critical need who have been caught up in cities under siege. We also deplore the attacks on medical facilities and call for the protection of humanitarian workers and medical personnel.
 
We urge the parties to comply with their commitments under international law, and international humanitarian law, in particular the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in the Time of War. Ghana also encourages neighbouring countries of Ukraine to facilitate the free passage of persons fleeing the war, without discrimination, and provide them with humanitarian assistance, including medical care in line with the principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality.
 
Madam President,
We continue to remain concerned by the transmission of the shocks of the war in Ukraine within the global economy and the disproportionate impact that developing countries and small economies are having to bear on account of this war, many of whom are already caught in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. We reiterate our call for urgent international solidarity on the issues of sovereign release of excess food stocks, calibrated intervention in the oil market, and new debt initiatives and financial access mechanisms to help maintain global cohesion and stability at this precarious time.
 
We note the reported intention of the Russian Federation to redeploy its forces from certain parts of Ukraine and urge her to follow through in the ongoing dialogue in Turkey aimed at a pathway to resolving the crisis.
 
I thank you for the kind attention.