UN General Assembly
2009

I bring very warm greetings from the people of Ghana. Allow me to join previous speakers in congratulating the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-fourth session on his election. His long distinguished service to his country and to Africa gives us confidence that we are in experienced and capable hands. I also wish to express my delegation’s appreciation to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, for the able manner in which he presided over the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. Last Monday, 21 September, Ghana celebrated the centenary of the birth of an illustrious son of Ghana and of Africa, our first President, Mr. Kwame 09-52320 4 Nkrumah, under whose leadership Ghana became a Member of the United Nations on 8 March 1957, only two days after achieving independence. We recall Mr. Nkrumah’s declaration before the General Assembly on 23 September 1960 that the United Nations was the only organization to hold out any hope for the future of mankind. At the same session, he