The UN @ 73 and Its Relevance Today!

TODAY, Ghana joins the world to celebrate the 73 years existence of the United Nations Organisation, (UN) with a flag raising ceremony at the forecourt of State House in Accra.

Exactly 73 years today, October 24, 1945, the UN charter was adopted at San Francisco, California, in the United States of America, after the end of the Second World War, to promote global peace, security, human rights and humanitarian services.

Indeed, looking back at the time the UN was formed, it would be difficult for anyone to think that the world could have been a better place without the existence of the UN that has helped to promote global peace and security.

This feat eluded the predecessor organisation, the League of Nation that was set up at the end of the First World War, to prevent the occurrence of another world war, but unfortunately could not prevent the Second World War.

Admittedly there have been conflicts at some trouble spots across the globe, the interventions of the UN's Peacekeeping Operations have prevented some of these skirmishes from escalating into full scale global war.

The UN, through its specialised agencies, the World Health Organisation, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations Population Fund, United Nations Children Fund, World Bank Group, United Nations Development Programme, International Labour Organisation, United Nations Educations, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, among others have been working with national governments across the globe to deliver interventions to promote the well bring and welfare of humanity.

This year's celebration is on the theme "Making the United Nations relevant to all people: Global leadership and sharing responsibilities for peaceful, equitable and sustainable societies."

Ghana since becoming a member of the UN after gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1957, has continued to play an important role in the UN to achieve the avowed goal of promoting global peace and security, through the contribution of troops to help in peacekeeping operations at trouble spots across the globe.

The peacekeeping role of Ghanaian troops has been acknowledged as exemplary and some of Ghanaian commanders have been adjudged the best. The UN indeed holds a pride of place for Ghana for its humanitarian contribution in West Africa.

The leadership role played by Ghana during the outbreak of Ebola in some sister countries reaffirmed her dedication the UN ideals.

Significantly, Ghana also provided leadership through the stewardship of its late illustrious son and global diplomatic icon, Busumuru Kofi Annan, who served as UN Secretary General from January 1997- December 2006.

He is credited for tabling for the adoption of the UN the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the special UN Millennium Summit in September 2000 to promote standard of living of humanity in the areas of access to quality education, prevention of HIV/AIDS, maternal and infant mortality, promoting gender equality, global peace and maintenance of the environment.

The implementation of the MDGs, spanning 2000-2015 has resulted in appreciable positive impact on the lives of people, convincing the global community to build on the successes chalked up with successor Sustainable Development Goals, to ensure inclusiveness so that no one is left behind in the share of global prosperity.

While commending the UN for the strides made so far, we regret the worsening inequality crisis and urge the UN to provide the global leadership to continue to promote equality, inclusive society and a world without wars.

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