President John Dramani Mahama has called for dialogue and respect for national sovereignty in resolving international conflicts, saying no human civilisation should be subjected to destruction.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24, President Mahama said even the most difficult international disputes could be resolved through dialogue.
“No human civilisation deserves to be annihilated, certainly not a member state of the United Nations. I believe that dialogue can resolve even the most intractable of problems,” he said.
His comments came two days after U.S. President Donald Trump, during his own address to the UN General Assembly, said the United States could “annihilate the Islamic Republic” of Iran if a deal was not reached.
Although President Mahama did not mention President Trump by name, his remarks echoed the language used by the U.S. President and were made against the backdrop of the continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran.
President Mahama also urged the international community to uphold the sovereignty of states, protect civilians caught up in conflicts and ensure humanitarian assistance can reach affected populations.
Beyond the Middle East crisis, the Ghanaian President used his address to push for reforms in the global system.
He renewed Ghana’s call for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council, while advocating reforms to the international financial architecture.
President Mahama also called for reparatory justice over the transatlantic slave trade, increased climate financing for developing countries and greater African participation in the processing of the continent’s critical mineral resources.
