The 75th United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference began in Accra yesterday with more than 600 delegates in attendance.
Happening for the first time in Africa, the two-day event was graced by high profile government officials, high ranking military personnel and renowned members of the UN from across the globe.
Addressing participants at the opening of the conference, the UN Under-Secretary General, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said as the UN peacekeeping confronts unprecedented challenges, the conference would provide an opportunity for member states to actively demonstrate their political support and make concrete pledges "to strengthen our effectiveness."
He commended the government of Ghana for agreeing to host the programme and for its significant contribution as the sixth largest provider of peacekeepers.
Peacekeeping he said was a political endeavor, adding that the UN's objective was to end conflict by helping parties to secure and implement peace agreements and related political processes.
"Over the decades we have succeeded in supporting sustainable peace in a long list of countries and saved countless lives by preventing and reducing violence.
"In a world that is more divided than ever we rely on the united and active engagement of member states," he added.
These successes, Mr Lacroix said must not be forgotten in the fog of war that continued to ravage fragile nations.
He described UN peacekeeping as an important enterprise of multilateralism and international solidarity, stressing that it was an imperfect tool that could never meet all needs or expectations.
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However he noted that the UN continued to search for ways to be more innovative and effective while counting on member states to contribute towards its success amidst new threats, and overcome various challenges.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI), Shirley Ayorkor Botchway in her remarks said with the commitment and dedication of all parties, excellent logistical arrangements have been put in place to ensure that the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting would not only be the pioneer in Africa but set the tone for other African countries in future.
The wealth of knowledge to be shared by participating nations, she said would not only deepen collective understanding, but also provide a solid foundation for developing comprehensive strategies to address contemporary challenges.
"The challenges we face demand sustained commitment and collaboration. I urge each participant to translate the insights gained and the commitments made during our time together here into tangible actions that would contribute to global peace and security," she added.
Meanwhile at an event at the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra, ahead of the opening of the conference, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda-Thomas Greenfield, reiterated the US's commitment towards ensuring peace and security on the African continent.
She revealed that US has so far invested billions of dollars on initiatives geared towards the promotion of peace and security in Africa.
