President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said Ghana will use its non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council to ensure that Africa’s voice is heard on the global stage.

Addressing heads of state and government of the Economic Community of West African States as the ECOWAS chairman, Akufo-Addo said that without the rest of Africa’s support, Ghana could not have got the highest number of votes (185) to win the UN Security Council slot.

The president said that, as such, throughout the two-year period to come (January 2022 to December 2023) of Ghana’s stay in the Security Council seat, Africa’s urgent issues will be her focus.

“”I assure Your Excellencies that Ghana will make sure that Africa’s voice is heard loud and clear in the deliberations of the Security Council both on matters affecting our region and the continent, and on global issues,” Akufo-Addo told the 59th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS in Accra on Saturday 19 June 2021.

“We will consult broadly to define Africa’s interests,” he said.

Ezulwini Consensus

As Akufo-Addo noted: “Africa’s common position on United Nations (UN) reforms, based on the Ezulwini Consensus, is one matter Ghana is determined to urge on the global agenda.

“We will work to solicit the support of countries around the world for this long overdue reform.

“We believe it is time to correct the long-standing injustice the current structure and composition of the UN Security Council represents for the nations of Africa,” he said.

Democracy in ECOWAS

Akufo-Addo congratulated the two newly elected presidents who are attending their first ECOWAS Summit since their election into office in their countries. The two new leaders are Mohamed Bazoum, who won his debut presidential election in Niger in February, and Patrice Talon, re-elected in Benin in April.

“I offer them mine and the comity’s best wishes for their success during their terms of office,” Akufo-Addo said.

“I commend also the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and Cape Verde for the conduct and outcomes of their latest legislative elections. Our region continues to strengthen its democratic credentials through the holding of elections,” the ECOWAS chair said.

Agenda of 59th Summit

In his address, President Akufo-Addo announced that the 59th ordinary session of heads of state of the Economic Community of West African States will consider the report on proposed institutional reforms for the Community, as well as the rotation mechanism for sub-regional, continental and global positions.

President Akufo-Addo also said that the leaders assembled will give attention during their deliberations to a range of challenges facing the region – from terrorism, violent extremism, democracy, peace and security, to health and the fight against COVID-19, to the rapid economic recovery of the ECOWAS sub-region from the effects of the pandemic.

Piracy, President Akufo-Addo said, is on the rise in West Africa and the matter needs urgent attention because the sub-region cannot afford to hand over the Gulf of Guinea to pirates.

Leaders will also discuss the political situation in Mali, the only state that stands suspended from ECOWAS, with a view to assessing the progress made since the last meeting of the heads of state, Akufo-Addo said. They will also review decisions on Mali taken during the last extraordinary summit of the Community, held in Accra on 30 May 2021.

COVID-19

Turning his attention to COVID-19, President Akufo-Addo said that by implementing strict health policies, the West African sub-region has largely been able to contain the pandemic.

However, he emphasised the urgent need for all African countries to strategise on how to secure vaccines for the continent’s peoples in order to stop further devastation of Africa by the novel coronavirus.

“We have to encourage members of our community such as Nigeria, Senegal and my own country, Ghana, which are making the effort to produce their own vaccines. We cannot afford to be naked the next time,” Akufo-Addo said.