• Mr. President,
• Mr. Secretary General,
• Your Excellencies,
• Ladies and Gentlemen.

In accordance with Ghanaian tradition and custom, I would like to begin with a basic but essential courtesy to express, on behalf of the government and people of my beloved country, our deepest gratitude and most profound appreciation to the United Nations, and to the numerous world leaders who mourned with us following the sudden and untimely death of our former president, Professor John Evans Atta Mills.

Ghanaians were touched by the many heartfelt messages of condolence and glowing tributes that poured in from all over the globe. Those messages of goodwill strengthened us and enabled us to transcend the adversities of an occurrence that was unprecedented in the history of Ghana.

Professor Mills was a dedicated and honourable statesman. He committed himself to bringing about an improvement not only in the lives of Ghanaians but also in the lives of all other Africans and indeed the lives of individuals throughout the world. His death was a significant loss and I am certain that he will be sorely missed by the international community.