On Tuesday, 23rd January, 2018, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Charles Owiredu, received Letters of Credence from the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Anne-Claire Dufay. After the exchange of pleasantries, Ms. Dufay indicated that she had worked in UNICEF for twenty years in various countries, which included Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Palestine, among others. She stated that she deemed it a privilege to represent UNICEF in Ghana, and lauded the country for being one of the most advanced in the subregion.
Ms. Dufay intimated that she was committed to working closely with Government, to promote inclusive development, in the fields of nutrition, water, sanitation and child protection, among others.
Hon. Charles Owiredu commended Ms. Dufay on her rich experience in UNICEF activities in various countries, and expressed the hope that Ghana would benefit from her immense experience. He also expressed appreciation for UNICEF’s active involvement in child protection and poverty reduction in Ghana . He underscored the need to provide more opportunities for the youth, particularly the girl child, through UNICEF’s programmes.
On the issue of sanitation, Hon. Owiredu stated that a lot needed to be done, to enhance cleanliness in the country, particularly in Accra. He emphasised the need for investments to be made towards sanitisation in Ghana. He further indicated that Ghana could adopt technologies of converting waste into energy, as is done in other countries. He reiterated the importance of good sanitation as a proactive, preventive measure against diseases.
In his closing remarks, Hon. Owiredu expressed the hope that Ms. Dufay’s stay in Ghana would be mutually beneficial to Ghana and UNICEF.