Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, speaking at this this year’s International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers’ Flag-Raising and Wreath-Laying ceremony in Accra, said peace is attainable through the collaboration with partners and other actors.

The 70th anniversary celebration under the theme, “UN Peacekeepers: 70 Years of Service and Sacrifice” has brought together security officers, International Diplomatic Corps and Ministers of State, Traditional Rulers from Ga Traditional Areas and the public.

The occasion was also used to honour Lance Corporal Emmanuel Sekyi and Staff Sargent Attayiri Bonafce, the two fallen Ghanaian Officers in 2017. She said: “While we work to fully implement Goal 16 of the SDG, which appropriately links Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, we need to partner with experts who serve on and off the field, Civil Society Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and the Private Sector to achieve our goal”.

Ms Botchwey noted that peace, security, development and human rights are inter-linked and mutually reinforcing, in as much as, conflict prevention is critical and remains paramount for national stability. “We must therefore strengthen partnership with regional and sub-regional organisations and engage in peace building from national and regional perspectives with cross-cutting issues, including those focusing on youth empowerment and gender equality.

“In the wake of the ever-evolving trends of conflict management and peacekeeping, there should be a paradigm shift in our approach by expanding the pool of actors in those disciplines. In this regards, the central role of women and their potential in peace building cannot be over-stated,” she added.   

The Minister underscored the need to reflect on the extremely challenging environments within which peacekeepers operate and join in debates and discussions on the subject to shape policies that could address the root of the mandates and conduct of respective Missions as the world mark the 70th anniversary.

“It is in this regard that, Ghana, welcomes the Action for Peacekeeping initiative launched in March, this year by the Secretary-General of the UN, His Excellency Antonio Guterres which calls on Member States, the Security Council, Troop and Police – contributing countries to refocus the objective of peacekeeping operations are fit for the given purpose, in each peculiar situation.

“The initiative will also facilitate the mobilization of greater support for political solutions and make peacekeeping Missions stronger and safer by deploying well-equipped and well-trained forces. The initiative seeks to include more women in peacekeeping operations and calls on all stakeholders therein to fulfil their respective roles,” she added.

The UN Resident Coordinator, Christine Evans-Klock, commended all officers and men who laid down their lives to maintain peace across the world. Reading the UN Secretary-General’s message, she said, “on this 70th anniversary, we express our gratitude to the more than one million men and women who have served under the UN flag, saving countless lives.

“We honour the more than 3,700 blue helmets who paid the ultimate price. And we pay tribute to the fourteen missions working around the clock today to protect people and advance the cause of peace. “As we recognize a legacy of service and sacrifice around the world, I am also committed to taking action for peacekeeping – action to make our operations safer and more effective in today’s challenging environments,” she added.

Ms Evans-Klock said the UN Secretary-General also pledged their commitment in reinforcing the important role the force must play in promoting human rights and addressing sexual exploitation and abuse. “United Nations peacekeeping is a proven investment in global peace, security and prosperity. Together, let us pledge to do all we can to enable that mission to succeed,” she said.

This year, UN Secretary-General will spend International Day of United Peacekeepers in Mali to express his solidarity with colleagues facing high casualties and enormous volatility. Since May 29, 1948, when the United Nations was formed, men and women of diverse nationalities and varied professional competences, far removed from the arenas of conflict, disaster and extreme deprivation, have contributed to peace and security in ant parts of the world.

As at April, 2018, Ghana ranked as the 10th largest contributor to UN Missions, worldwide, with a total 2,645 peacekeepers.