Ghana’s incumbent president in the person of Nana Akufo Addo earned an honorary doctorate from Paris’ Sorbonne University on October 10, 2022, and this puts the country in a good light, globally.
Sorbonne University commended President Akufo-Addo for his efforts to promote democracy in Ghana, peace in West Africa, free senior high school education for all Ghanaian students, and COVID-19 prevention.
The President earned Honorary Doctorates from Fort Hare University of South Africa in May 2016, Liberia in December 2017, and Cape Coast in May 2021.
The President was honoured to join Pablo Picasso, Kofi Annan, Amartya Sen, and Nelson Mandela as Sorbonne University Honorary Doctorates.
His acceptance speech addressed climate change, equality and justice, multilateral system reform, and international engagement.
President Akufo-Addo said Africa generates 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions but suffers the most.
Before the Conference of the Parties in Egypt, the Adaptation Summit requested $25 billion by 2025 to mitigate climate change’s implications on food security, resilient infrastructure, employment, and green finance.
He informed the gathering that Africa’s 1.3 billion people—18% of the world’s population—would expand to 2.5 billion by 2050.
Africa will impact the world, Europe, and France. Languageless. True. French insists. Africa’s climate change adaptation requires $25 billion over three years. 5x France’s medical transport expenditure. Enough. “Derisive.”
President Akufo-Addo said Africa left Rotterdam with $55 million despite the African Development Bank’s $12.5 billion ambition. G20 emits 80%.
“Yes. Millions. 54 countries, 55 million. 1000000. Africa should have been supported more. Unacceptable. “Unjust,” declared Akufo-Addo.
The President told the conference that African leaders must create cultures that respect women, children, and the weak.
“Societies where everyone, whatever their incomes, beliefs or ethnic origins, can have equitable and guaranteed access to the goods essential to the development of every individual and society as a whole: water, food and quality care, energy, education, and the decent life to which every free being can and must aspire,” he said.
The President rejoiced “Ghana has implemented a policy of free public high schools during my first mandate.” It symbolizes education’s importance in society’s growth and educating individuals to perform their full role.”
The international system “is hemorrhaging from all sides,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
The post-WWII UN and international financial bodies are in jeopardy. “It will continue until a fair system adopts the new balances,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo condemned Russia’s barbaric activities against Ukraine, which harm the world and destroy African industry and people.
“Ghana, the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain her independence and to free herself from the colonial yoke, in her case the British yoke, has always defended a vision of the world free of hegemonic practices, in which all nations, large or small, co-exist peacefully, in fairness and with mutual respect, a vision that insists that disputes between countries are settled through dialogue and negotiation, not force and violence.”