Mr. President,

My delegation is pleased to see you presiding over this most important NPT Review Conference and readily shares the warm sentiments conveyed to you on your appointment by speakers before me at this podium.

You have the full support and cooperation of my delegation in your endeavours at ensuring a positive outcome to these deliberations.

As a non-nuclear weapon state (NNWS) and a state party to the NPT, we reaffirm Ghana's continued commitment to the Articles of the Treaty and other disarmament processes for the elimination of these weapons of mass destruction.

Our commitment has encouraged us to participate in this Conference, despite the disappointment and sense of pessimism of many NNWS about the lack of progress on this front; largely because of the unwillingness of the nuclear weapon states (NWS) to demonstrate the necessary flexibility and political will to move the disarmament process forward.

For how long, Mr. President, can the NWS expect the NNWS to show commitment to the NPT and other disarmament treaties, when they themselves evince attitudes to the contrary? As Ghana's Foreign Minister, Mr. Victor Gbeho aptly stated in September, 1999 during the plenary of the 54th General Assembly "the parties and non-parties to the NPT alike, will not continue indefinitely to abide by the Treaty while the nuclear‑weapon countries continue to ignore the calls of the international community to abide by their NPT commitments and pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament under strict and effective international control".

The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan noted in his opening statement, that the established multilateral disarmament machinery has started to rust because of the lack of political will to utilise it. Indeed, Mr. President, such a perception hardly lifts the gloom and pessimism that overshadow the Conference and should be cause for concern.

Yet, Mr. President, for the sake of humanity, we must all remain hopeful. We therefore share your point of view that "the international community is embarking on an exercise that would be long, painful, and delicate, given the uncertainties".

My delegation believes that the pursuit of a new, rather than a renewed agenda engenders such a hope. We therefore, wholeheartedly, support the new agenda coalition sponsored by a number of middle level countries, of which we have been reminded by the delegation of Mexico this week.

Mr. President, need we again remind ourselves that the negotiations for the NPT involved a bargain between the five NWS and the NNWS by which the latter undertook not to acquire or allow their territories for the development, or stockpiling of nuclear weapons in exchange for assurances by the NWS to work towards the elimination of these weapons and to make nuclear technology for peaceful purposes freely available.

Mr. President, developing countries having kept their part of the bargain, have a right to these facilities to facilitate socio-economic development.

Article IV of the Treaty allows state parties the right to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination, with the IAEA recognized as the principle vehicle for the transfer of technology.

In this regard, my delegation is happy to note the Agency's responsiveness to the most pressing global challenges - namely, poverty and disease, natural resources management and environmental degradation through applied nuclear science and technology. Thus, through the idea of "partnership in development", the Agency has worked with other development institutions, such as the UNDP in the implementation of strategy of technical cooperation that addresses sustainable development priorities in developing countries with the objective of promoting tangible social and economic benefits. Indeed, in Ghana, primary health care is being enhanced through an Agency funded project.

Against this background, Mr. President, my delegation holds the view that the Conference should identify opportunities for the Agency's continued work at the multilateral, regional and bilateral level to support financially and institutionally the benefits of nuclear technology for human and economic development.

IAEA's technical cooperation efforts would need to be fully complemented by the provision of adequate budgetary resources. The demonstration of commitment, political will and flexibility at this Conference by the NWS would be critical to establishing the necessary trust and goodwill among state parties and thus promote transparency and unrestricted exchange of nuclear materials, as well as scientific information to facilitate development of programmes on peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Mr. President, we all - NWS and NNWS alike, have a stake in the outcome of this review process. Flexibility on the part of the key nuclear actors would have a salutary impact on the outcome of the Conference, and also boost other aspects of the disarmament process. We have choices to make; either we have as our focus the wider goal of promoting mankind's survival, in which case, we remain in nature's will, blessing and prosperity, or remain fixed in our narrow, parochial and short-sighted vision of national goals and be doomed.

I thank you, Mr. President.