Chairperson,
Mr. President,
Distinguished Governors,
Excellencies and Members of the Governing Council, good afternoon.

It gives my delegation great pleasure to be part of this very important Session.
Chairperson and Mr. President, I bring you all greetings and good wishes from His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana and from the Distinguished Governor, who would have wished to be with us at this Session. Unfortunately, due to the transition process currently ongoing in our country after a successful election held in December 2012, he has requested that his best wishes are sent to the Governing Council and to wish all of you fruitful deliberations during the Session.

Mr. President, I seize this opportunity to extend warm congratulations from the Distinguished Governor and the Ghana delegation on your successful re-election to lead IFAD for a second term. Your appointment by acclamation testifies to the visionary leadership you have provided over the past four years and the endorsement of what has been achieved with beneficiaries of the services of the Fund.
Chairperson, over the years, IFAD has continued to be at the forefront of changing the course of smallholder agriculture worldwide. This has been done mostly in collaboration with countries, but more importantly, with the smallholder farmers themselves.

Each year, IFAD focuses on a key area of development it intends to align its activities to, in pursuit of its objectives in enabling poor rural people to overcome poverty. The years of operation of IFAD, have confirmed the value of partnerships and hence the focus of this area of development this year.
Chairperson, my delegation can attest to the power of partnership especially with IFAD, as this has truly led to the forging of numerous alliances in support of smallholder agriculture which has since 1980, directly empowered over 3.5 million households under 16 projects throughout our country.

In a rapidly changing world of economic uncertainties and environmental challenges, my delegation agrees with IFAD that it is time to look towards new and improved forms of partnerships with governments, donors, the private sector and indeed the smallholder farmers themselves.

Ghana’s successful development path has a strong linkage to its partnership with IFAD which is very much valued. Ghana and IFAD have realized the mutual benefits of working together; enabling Ghana to make great strides in its rural development and poverty reduction agenda, and with IFAD attaining more visibility and credibility as a solid global development partner.

Chairperson, with the establishment of an IFAD Country Office in Accra, it is our hope that this will bring the Fund even closer to the beneficiaries in shaping  the process of changing their lives and transforming IFAD.
On the occasion of this Governing Council Session, my delegation renews our country’s commitment to partner with IFAD in the realization of our shared mutual objective of developmental goals.

We also encourage stronger collaboration among our three Rome-based Agencies because the synergy realized in the Mozambican experience demonstrates clearly the power of partnership to combat hunger and rural poverty.

Chairperson, we thank you.