DEMARCHE ON UN REFORM: GHANA

UNCLAS ACCRA 000163 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ADCO AORC GH KUNR PHUM PREL SUBJECT: DEMARCHE ON UN REFORM: GHANA REF: STATE 4746 On January 19, Ambassador and PolChief delivered reftel demarche on UN reform to Ghanaian Deputy Foreign Minister Akwasi Osei-Adjei. (Note: the Foreign Minister is out of the country. End note.) Osei-Adjei agreed that there is a need to reform the UN to make it more relevant and effective for a changing world. He opined that there was too much focus on UN Security Council reform "instead of the real issues" of making the UN work more effectively. There is a need to look at the mandates of UN agencies and structures and reduce inefficiencies, he said. The Ambassador highlighted the need to ensure an effective UN Human Rights Council which did not include members whose governments were under UNSC sanctions for reasons related to human rights abuses. He agreed with the principle that human rights abusers should not be members of a such a human rights organization. BRIDGEWATER