Ghana and Japan have expressed their commitment to cooperate and pursue reforms of the United Nations Security Council.
During a joint press conference in Accra, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio pledged to work towards peaceful conflict resolution and promote global peace and security for sustainable development. They also condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, insisting that such aggression by a “big power” violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and must be stopped.
As non-permanent members of the Security Council, Ghana and Japan aim to promote a free and open international order based on the rule of law. They emphasized the importance of providing transparent and fair development finance to developing nations, as economic growth cannot be achieved without peace and stability. The two leaders agreed to coordinate Security Council reforms to reflect the changed circumstances of the world.
President Akufo-Addo affirmed Ghana’s stance against great power domination of world affairs, adding that Ghana had voted at the UN Security Council to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He stated that within Ghana’s modest means, it would continue to register its disapproval of great powers trampling on small nations. Mr. Kishida stressed the importance of a free and open international order based on the rule of law, adding that actions such as Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine cannot be tolerated as they deny even the basic principles of the UN Charter, such as sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Japanese PM was in Ghana on a two-day state visit to shore up ties between the two countries. He is on a tour of four African nations ahead of the G7 Summit scheduled for May 19, 2023, in Hiroshima, Japan. During his tour, he aims to confirm cooperation with African leaders over global issues, including the situation in Ukraine. Mr. Kishida pledged to provide about $500 million in financial support to Africa over the next three years to promote peace and stability on the continent.
In addition to boosting political and economic relations, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, as well as cooperation at the multilateral level, Ghana and Japan exchanged notes for two project agreements. These agreements aim to boost food security and strengthen human resources for Ghana’s national development. The Project for the Enhancement of Rice Seed Production Capacity is expected to improve the quality of rice supplied and quantity distribution within the rice value chain in Ghana. The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarships will help build the capacity of officials from various Government institutions by undertaking studies in Japan in strategically important sectors of the economy.
For the most part, Ghana and Japan’s collaboration aims to promote peace and stability globally, with an emphasis on conflict resolution, development finance, and a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
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