Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey calls for actionable steps from member-states at 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial."

During the inaugural day of the ministerial meeting, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, encouraged all participating member-states to translate the knowledge and insights shared at the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial into concrete actions.

In her address, she underscored the pressing security challenges globally, emphasizing the need for ongoing dedication and cooperation. She asserted that applying the knowledge gained from the meeting would significantly contribute to promoting global peace and security.

“I urge each participant to translate the insights gained and commitments made during our time together here into tangible actions that will contribute to global peace and security,” she encouraged.

The flagship event is the first to be held on the African continent and the fifth ministerial-level gathering organized by the United Nations and the Republic of Ghana.

She further highlighted that the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial is a “platform for the exchange of innovative approaches, best practices and lessons learned in the field of peacekeeping” – adding that the in-depth knowledge shared by participating nations will deepen the globe’s collective understanding, and also provide a solid foundation for “developing comprehensive strategies to address contemporary peacekeeping and security challenges”.

Ms. Botchwey noted that she hopes the event will be marked “by a rich tapestry of ideas, perspectives and collaborative efforts”, as well as a continuous collective commitment by all member-states to strengthen UN peacekeeping operations.

She anticipates that the richness of discussions, variety of perspectives, and commitments voiced during the meeting will be grounded in the strength derived from global unity in addressing the complex challenges defining our contemporary global landscape.

The minister urged all participating nations to explore some of Accra's historic sites, including the iconic Black Star Square, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, and Mausoleum, among others.

Discussing the selection of Accra as the venue for this year's UN peacekeeping ministerial meeting, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, noted its appropriateness due to Africa being a continent where the majority of peacekeeping operations occur. He highlighted Ghana's significance as one of the most important contributors of troops and police on the continent.

Mr. Lacroix commended the country for hosting the meeting, citing political recommitment to peacekeeping, the opportunity to celebrate peacekeepers' achievements, and learning about member-states' pledges as the three primary reasons for the gathering.

He explained that the political recommitment of nations is critical to peacekeeping, because the UN as a whole is operating against the backdrop of a more divided world and a more divided international community – adding the presence of all member-states in Accra “is a reflection of that strong commitment”.

Mr. Lacroix emphasized that the ministerial meeting serves as a forum to honor the accomplishments of peacekeepers, pointing out that this is significant because thousands of civilians depend on these men and women to keep their lives safe every day.

He also emphasized how each member state and its security agency individually contributes in terms of partnerships, technology, and training.

“There’s nothing we can do without the contribution of our member-states, without the men and women, the units, the individual police and military officers, the support that all of us can provide in terms of training, technology and partnerships,” he emphasised.