President Rawlings leaves Accra for New York

Accra (Greater Accra) The President Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings left Accra on Tuesday at the head of an 18-member delegation to the millennium summit of the United Nations (UN) in New York beginning September 6th to 8th.

President Rawlings' entourage included the first Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister for Planning, Regional Economic Co-operation and Integration, and Mr. Ohene Agyekum, Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs and State Protocol.

Nana Effah Appenteng Ghana's Ambassador and Permanent Representative at the UN and officials of the Ghana mission and the Foreign Ministry would join them.

The summit, which has the theme, "The role of the UN in the 21st century” will immediately precede the 55th session of the UN General Assembly.

It will be the largest gathering of heads of state and governments and will provide a historic occasion for the 188 member states to address the challenges of the new century.

Mr. Joseph Laryea, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs who briefed newsmen before the President's departure said a formal declaration would be adopted at the end of the summit.

Mr. Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, said it is essential that the millennium summit provide an opportunity for a "moral recommitment" to the principles of the UN charter and a new political momentum for international co-operation.

Mr. Laryea said while in New York, President Rawlings would hold bilateral and other discussions with a number of world leaders.

After the summit, the President and the First Lady, will travel to the United Kingdom (UK) to participate in the launching of the Greenwich-Tema Foundation (Partnership for development) and address the Scottish Parliament on September 13.

Mr. Laryea said President Rawlings would also hold talks with the Right Honourable Claire Short, Head of the Department for International Development (DFID).

President Rawlings will receive an honorary degree from the University of Glasgow on September 12, 2000 for his services to peace, stability and democratic governance and visit the Royal Airforce Station in Wallingford in the County of Oxfordshire.

The President is also expected to visit the Scottish National War Memorial, where he will lay a wreath at a sanctuary and later be the guest of honour at a luncheon to be hosted by Mr. Eric Milligan, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

The President will hold further hold discussions with Scottish and UK companies in the energy, gold and diamond mining, oil exploration and other sectors interested in investing in Ghana.

Nana Konadu will also visit various art and graphic institutions in Glasgow and later receive an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Sunderland for her sterling work on global development and gender issues.

According to Mr. Laryea, President Rawlings will undergo a medical review in Switzerland after his visit to the UK upon the advice of his doctors.