Source: newsthemegh.com
Senior United Nations officials including the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, the Honorable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, have announced that Ghana would host the 2023 United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in Accra, Ghana, from December 5–6, 2023.
On Friday, September 22, 2023, the news was made at a press conference held at the UN Secretariat in New York.
The Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, Ms. Catherine Pollard, and the Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, Mr. Atul Khare, all spoke in addition to the Honorable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.
The UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting will help secure the crucial political support and pledges aimed at strengthening UN Peacekeeping in accordance with the Action for Peacekeeping and Action for Peacekeeping-Plus, which are the implementation strategies for 2021 to 2023, said Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey in her opening remarks.
These, she stated, “are crucial for enhancing the efficacy of contemporary peacekeeping and addressing the security challenges of our time.”
The meeting, the minister continued, would offer a chance to examine how Member States can develop high-performing and specialized capabilities and other pledges that meet UN needs as well as new or expanded, long-term partnerships for capacity building, training, and equipment in crucial areas.
The 2023 Ministerial Meeting is a crucial chance for leaders to reaffirm their commitment and make pledges to UN Peacekeeping, which continues to be one of the most important multilateral instruments for achieving lasting peace and development, according to Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations.
“We are grateful to Ghana for hosting this Ministerial meeting and for its critical contributions to strengthening our operations,” he continued.
The ministerial meeting in 2023 will be centered on topics including women in peacekeeping, strategic communications, combating misinformation and disinformation, safety and security, and protection of civilians.
The UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in 2023 will be the first to be held in Africa and the sixth overall.