U.S. Statement at the Universal Periodic Review of Ghana
42nd Session, January 24, 2023
As delivered by Mr. Patrick Elliot
Thank you, Mr. President.
The United States welcomes the distinguished delegation of Ghana.
We commend Ghana for its leadership role on security and democracy in the region. We remain concerned about the pace of anti-corruption and justice reform efforts.
In the spirit of constructive engagement, we recommend that Ghana:
1. Promote human rights of all persons in Ghana, including LGBTQI+ persons, by opposing all discriminatory legislation; prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression, or sex characteristics; and effectively implementing existing laws and policies that are consistent with the fundamental freedoms expressed in the Ghanaian constitution.
2. Significantly strengthen anti-corruption efforts by enforcing existing laws and enacting and enforcing robust ethics and disclosure regulations to improve accountable governance and address pervasive public corruption.
3. Implement justice sector reforms to ensure fairer and more efficient case resolutions, including for indigent defendants, and in interlocutory appeals and trial management processes.
I thank you.