United Nations Security Council: Non-proliferation/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Madam President,
The situation in the Korean peninsula is concerning for global peace and security. As members of this Council, we owe a responsibility to the wider membership to act in moments when acting proactively can help prevent destabilisation of international peace and security.
 
It is in this context, and mindful of previous resolutions, that Ghana has voted in favour of the draft resolution on the DPRK. Though the resolution did not pass, the expressed position of 13 members of the Council shows an overwhelming convergence of the international community’s position on the matter and sends a clear message to the DPRK that the 23 missiles it has launched this year alone and the ones it launched in previous years are unacceptable to the international community and are in blatant violation of the its international obligations as expressed in multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.
 
Madam President,
By today’s action in the Council, it should be clear to the DPRK that its reported intention to accelerate the development of its nuclear capabilities at “the highest possible pace” as well as its threat to use nuclear weapons if its national interest is threatened would be deemed as contrary to its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations which enjoin all Members States to be peace-loving.
 
While we regret the lack of unanimity on this resolution the balance of views is that the DPRK is obliged to take up the offer of unconditional dialogue by the United States and to take concrete, immediate and urgent steps to deescalate the tensions on the Korean peninsula.
 
Madam President,
The humanitarian situation in the DPRK which was already dire, has been exacerbated by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. We are informed by the WHO and other partners that the DPRK is yet to accept offers of millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines under the COVAX program and other bilateral arrangements. It is important that we help the DPRK to overcome its mistrust in order to avoid needless loss of innocent lives and plug into the arrangements of international cooperation to support it save the lives of its populations through access for the required COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and other medical equipment to assist in its fight against the virus.
 
We also encourage the DPRK to streamline its internal processes to enable the much needed medical and other humanitarian supplies reach the people of the DPRK. We urge the DPRK to allow the UN humanitarian agencies back into the country and support efforts by the UN system to reestablish the banking channel with DPRK.
 
We hope that in the future the Council would be able to act in a unified manner in preserving the peace on the Korean Peninsula.

I thank you for your attention.