[ 2021-03-08 ]

Commonwealth Day: Ghana urges cooperation among Member States
Accra, March 08, Ghana, in marking this year’s
Commonwealth Day, has urged Member States to
cooperate more, with mutual respect and goodwill,
to deliver a common future for their people.

Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said
this, in a statement copied to the Ghana News
Agency, to mark the Day, which falls on the second
Monday of March, each year.

This year’s event is being observed on the
theme, “Delivering a Common Future: Connecting
Innovating, Transforming”.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey pledged on behalf of the
Government and People of Ghana, the country’s
continuous commitment to the Commonwealth by
fervently upholding the values of the Commonwealth
and reaffirmed the belief in the unique
Organization as a powerful influence for good in
the world.

“It is, therefore, our hope that as we mark this
auspicious occasion, we will cooperate more, with
mutual respect and goodwill, to deliver a common
future for our people. We commit to a future that
is evidently characterized by sustainable, peace,
security, fairness and inclusivity,” she said.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey, said the theme for this
year’s celebration was appropriate, given the
overwhelming challenges and threats to a promising
and fulfilling future for generations yet unborn.

“We cannot afford to be helpless in the current
situation we find ourselves in. It is imperative
that our abiding efforts would be geared towards
assisting each other with our deeply rooted
network of friendship amongst Member States, to
achieve some of the goals, including; protecting
our natural resources and boosting trade through
the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda,” she
said.

“Our Commonwealth family remains an Organization
that aspires to promote global sustainable
development and helps shape the world of tomorrow,
while playing its leadership role in curbing the
COVID-19 pandemic.”

She said the relevance of the Commonwealth could
not be underestimated in the contemporary times;
stating that the Commonwealth had stood the test
of time and had championed the promotion of
prosperity, democracy and peace, justice and human
rights, empowerment of women and young people,
amplified the voices of small and vulnerable
states, advocated the protection of the
environment in terms of the blue economy through
its Blue Charter and climate change.

The Minister said apart from the great strides,
the intergovernmental Organization was placed on
the path towards further championing trade
facilitation through the Commonwealth Connectivity
Agenda to boost trade among its Member States and
help address threats such as debts, terrorism,
corruption, inequality as well as racism.

“It is our hope that with a common purpose
through knowledge transfer, all can give and all
can gain,” Madam Ayorkor Botchwey said.

She said this would lead to innovations that would
transform lives and livelihoods to ensure an
inclusive progress and a greater prosperity for
all.

“On this note, on behalf of the Government and
the good People of Ghana, I wish us all, a happy
and joyous anniversary,” she stated.

“Long live Ghana, long live our Commonwealth and
May it remain a driving force for positive change
throughout the Commonwealth family.”

Source - GNA

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