Queen Elizabeth II's speech to parliament on Monday 8th November 1999

MR Speaker, Your Excellency President Rawlings, Honourable Members of this House,

I thank you Mr. Speaker for your kind words of welcome. May I express my appreciation to you and honourable members for inviting me to address you and for your decision to amend standing orders so that you can sit on a Monday.

My visit demonstrates the importance my country attaches to our relations with the people of Ghana.

I am therefore pleased that I have this chance to meet their elected members of parliament representing all walk of life, all beliefs and all shades of opinion in this diverse nation. It would be exactly thirty-eight years ago tomorrow since I first came to Ghana. Much has changed since my last visit.

But something’s remain the same and one of these is the country’s celebrated reputation of hospitality. Prince Philip and I have been most touched by the warmth of the welcome we have been given here in Accra. We are delighted to be back. When I came here in 1961, your First President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah predicted that no matter how strong the wind of change in Africa might blow, there would never loosen the bonds of affection between our two countries. I believe that, a generation later, the ties between us are stronger than ever.

Citizens

Mr. Speaker, there are many indications of this. There are for example, more than two hundred thousand British citizens of Ghanaian decent living in the United Kingdom, including one of my Ministers, who was born in Ghana - indeed, his father was a minister in the government here when I visited in 1961.

It is not just in politics that Ghanaians make a valuable and dynamic contribution to the British society. They are to be found in all the professions, the arts and are using their entrepreneurial flair throughout our economy.

These ties are not recent. The ancient cultures of Ghana and Europe have intermingled since before Columbus discovered the Americas, and the formal British-Ghanaian relationship is well into its second century. Nor are these ties founded simply on personal connections and history, but on common interests.

The United Kingdom is Ghana’s most significant trading partner and best export customer, and the British investment here, far surpasses that of any other industrialised country.

Mr. Speaker, to personal and economic ties, I would add the warm political relations between our two governments, who have a shared sense of values in the Commonwealth and other international arenas. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, is an example of where our two governments work closely together to uphold the Harare Principles which are central to the

Commonwealth.

We also co-operate closely in the field of conflict resolution, and here, I wish to pay tribute to Ghana’s provision of troops to the

ECOMOG Force in Sierra Leon where as they did in Liberia, they make a valuable contribution to the international effort to bring peace to that unhappy land.

That vital effort is but one example of Ghana’s long and distinguished history in international peace - keeping and conflict resolution.

United Nations

Ghana is the fifth largest contributor to UN peace keeping forces and over the years has served the interests of the international community in places as far apart as Bosnia, Cambodia and the Lebanon as well as in Africa.

Nor, of course should we overlook the fact that Ghana currently provides the United Nations with its present distinguished

Secretary General. These are all proud achievements. Good example of the breadth of the relationship between the two government is the co-operation between the British and Ghanaian Armed Forces.

For over 30 years the British Military Advisory and Training Team and the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College have worked together to train military personnel to the highest international standards.

I am delighted that this afternoon Prince Philip will visit the college to commission its new Peace Keeping Library, constructed and equipped by my government. We are also partners in development.

Equity and Justice are Key to stability and eradication of poverty is central to providing them.

Our bilateral assistance of £40 million a year supports your Government’s priorities in a number of sectors, with the primary objectives being to bring development to those most in need.

This afternoon I shall visit a primary school which is benefiting from a project which will this year put two primary readers into the hands of every state primary schoolchild in Ghana. Economic development has come hand in hand with the advance of democratic values.

As the composition of this Parliament demonstrate, Ghana has embraced the concept of pluralism in its politics.

The people of this country have been in the fore - front of the renaissance in Africa of democratic values.

President

Next year your President who has led you through these momentous changes will reach the end of his second term. His successor is to be chosen freely and fairly by the people of Ghana this election will itself demonstrate the political change and freedoms which Ghana now enjoys.

Mr Speaker, an open society, a free media, a truly independent judiciary and a democratically chosen, accountable executive provide the conditions under which the equality of opportunity, initiative and a stable society can flourish.

I am pleased to be able to applaud Ghana’s achievements here in your Parliament; and look forward to a successful future for our two countries as we move forward into the 21st century.