Accra-Ghana, Sept 23, GNA – Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has reaffirmed Ghana’s invitation to all delegations to be in Accra for the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting slated from 5th to 6th, December.
The Minister extended the invitation to delegates at the press launch in New York of the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting to be held in Accra from 5th to 6th, December.
UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meetings focus on securing concrete commitments from Member States to fill critical gaps, leverage new technologies and address key priorities to improve the operational effectiveness of peacekeeping missions.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey said the Accra UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting, would be the 5th meeting since its inception in 2014, and the first to take place on the African continent.
She said the Accra Meeting would bring together all Member States represented in the Special Committee on Peacekeeping (C34) and was aimed at strengthening UN Peacekeeping in line with the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping and the A4P+.
She said, specifically, the Accra Meeting, would provide an opportunity to explore ways by which Member States could generate high-performing and specialized capabilities and other pledges that meet UN needs as well as new or expanded, sustainable capacity-building, training, and equipping partnerships in key areas.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey said the 2023 Ministerial Meeting would focus on five themes namely: Protection of Civilians, Strategic Communications (including misinformation disinformation and hate speech), Safety and Security, the Mental Health of Peacekeepers, and Women in Peacekeeping.
She noted that in the lead up to the Accra Meeting, four preparatory meetings were scheduled to be held in line with the selected themes.
She said the first two preparatory meetings, comprising Women in Peacekeeping, and the Safety and Security of Peacekeepers were held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Islamabad, Pakistan respectively.
The Minister said the one on Mental Health of Peacekeepers was held remotely and the last one on Strategic Communications is scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda from 23rd to 24th October, 2023.
She said the Ministerial Meeting in Accra was taking place at the level of Foreign and Defense Ministers and they had encouraged participating Member States to indicate in advance their Peacekeeping pledges, which was essential in enhancing the responsiveness of peacekeeping to the security challenges of their time.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey said additionally, the pledges would feed into the outcome of the Ministerial.
“I wish to inform you that preparations are far advanced for the event in Accra and several milestones have been achieved,” she said.
“A dedicated website (www.accra2023pkm.mfa.gov.gh)
with a registration link and information on the PKM is available and the logistical note for the Ministerial meeting will be circulated to Member States by the close of next week.”
She said Ghana looks forward to seeing some of the Member States also in Accra in December and to supporting its efforts towards the success of the event.
The 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting press launch, which took place on the sidelines of the 2023 UN General Assembly Meeting, was attended by Mr Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Madam Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC) and Mr Atul Khare Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support.
