The Government of the Republic of South Korea has donated 22 KIA vehicles to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in support of Ghana’s preparations for the upcoming 2023 UN Ministerial Meetings scheduled for December.
This donation comprises twelve saloon vehicles and ten vans, which were officially handed over by Korea’s Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Jung-Taek Lim, during a ceremony at the Foreign Ministry on Monday, October 2, 2023.
In his remarks, Ambassador H.E. Jung-Taek Lim reiterated the commitment of the Korean government to strengthen its collaboration with Ghana in the United Nations and other international forums.
He expressed hope that these vehicles, in addition to the IT products provided in July of this year, would contribute to Ghana’s successful hosting of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference in December.
On her part, the Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who received the vehicles on behalf of the Government of Ghana, noted that “the occasion symbolises the strength of the relations between Ghana and the Republic of Korea and further underscores the importance Ghana attaches to the longstanding friendship”.
The Minister thanked the Government of Korea for extending support to Ghana in its preparations towards bringing the entire peacekeeping community into the country.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey also took the opportunity to commend Ambassador Lim for his role in securing Korea’s support for Ghana for the upcoming 2023 UN Ministerial meetings in 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.
With missions navigating unprecedented challenges and threats, this year’s event will focus on critical issues such as the protection of civilians, strategic communications and addressing misinformation and disinformation, safety and security, mental health of uniformed peacekeepers and the pivotal role of women in peacekeeping.
Highlighting the significance of the Ministerial Meeting taking place in Africa and the importance of partnerships, Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support said: “Ghana’s and Africa’s contributions to peacekeeping are advancing beyond troop contributions to offering a vital forum in which countries can unite and collaborate on innovative strategies to address current challenges and discuss the future of peacekeeping. I look forward to the formation of partnerships amongst participants to enhance the effectiveness of our peacekeepers, elevate the quality of their medical care and foster environmentally responsible operations.”
“In addition to the myriad challenges currently before us, United Nations peace operations are also at a critical juncture in preventing and addressing misconduct as a central element of performance,” said Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance.
In the lead-up to this year’s Ministerial Meeting, a series of preparatory meetings on key areas identified by UN Member States have set the stage for discussions.
These included preparatory conferences on women in peacekeeping operations, co-hosted by Bangladesh, Canada and Uruguay; mental health support for uniformed personnel, co-hosted by Ghana, Republic of Korea and the United Nations; and safety and security, co-hosted by Japan and Pakistan. In October, a meeting on protection of civilians and strategic communications will take place in Kigali, co-hosted by Indonesia, Netherlands, Rwanda and the United Kingdom.