Former Foreign Minister of Liberia, Olubanke King-Akerele, has paid a courtesy call on Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.
The visit took place on Thursday, October 10, 2019, at Madam Ayorkor Botchwey’s Office in Accra.
Madam King-Akerele is the Board Chair of the Angie Brooks International Centre for Women Empowerment, Leadership and Peace.
She is the founder of the Kofi Annan Living Memorial in Liberia and served the Liberian under ex-President Johnson Sirleaf from 2006 to 2010.
The purpose of the meeting was for Madam King-Akerele to express gratitude to Madam Ayorkor Botchwey for acknowledging her commitment towards the establishment of the Kofi Annan Living Memorial (KALM).
It was also intended to update the Ghanaian Minister on developments on the Memorial concept and as well present her (Madam Akerele) book on “Accelerating Africa’s Integration through Micro-Regionalism, A Case Study Of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique growth triangle and it’s impact.”
KALM was launched on March 18, 2019 at One United Nations House.
It is intended to memorialize the late Secretary-General of the UN, Kofi Annan, through the continuation of his work of peace and service to humanity.
During the Accra visit, Madam Ayorkor Botchwey enquired about the programmes under the KALM in Liberia and efforts to actualize the full scale of the concept.
She assured Madam King-Akerele of the readiness of the Ministry to work together with her in exploring ways of sustaining the initiative.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey went on to commend the Liberian ex-Minister for taking time to author a book on accelerating Africa’s integration.
She informed her about Ghana’s long-standing works towards the I of Africa.
On her part, Madam King-Akerele, observed the need for Africa and indeed the globe to celebrate and remember those who help to make the world a better place to live.
She urged that “we must acknowledge those who helped to build our societies.”
“There’s no better way to commemorate Kofi Annan than to promote his ideals which he held so dearly thru the establishment of a similar Living Memorial by the entity that he had agreed to establish in 2006” Madam King-Akerele said.
BY Melvin Tarlue