Press Statement by the United States - West Africa Group, Washington DC. March 6, 2011

March 6 marks a major milestone in the history of sub-Saharan Africa; we join with the people of Ghana on the occasion of this 54th anniversary of the country's independence from European colonial rule. We pay tribute to the people and leaders of the various political parties in Ghana for holding successive credible elections and insuring peaceful political transition of government throughout the country's current republic, which began nearly two decades ago. These feats are particularly worthy in the light of current political challenges surrounding political transitions in Africa.

We recall Ghana's dedication of its independence to the "total liberation of the continent of Africa". In this regard, and as the Black Star of Africans everywhere, we call on the leadership of Ghana to work assiduously toward peace and reconciliation in the many countries on the continent that are facing political upheavals today, and to find ways to usher in economic prosperity for the region's large youth population and in deed all citizens.

We urge the Government of Ghana to honor its pledge of dedicating its independence to the total freedom of Africa. Today, all of Africa is ruled by Africans yet Africans are increasing insecure politically and economically. We call on Ghana to mobilize its regional influence and global goodwill for the immediate cessation of the atrocities in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire, in averting a degeneration of the conflict and drift or slippage back into large-scale civil war, and to bring the warring factions to the peace table as soon as possible. As Africans, we are concerned about the worsening political crisis, the loss of life, property, dignity and statehood of Cote d'Ivoire. Further north of the continent, the Maghreb region and Egypt are going through historic changes, with Libya at the brink of a civil war. We look for the Black Star to shine across the entire continent; we ask for Ghana to play a stronger role in realizing the dreams that our forebears had for this continent of ours - to be free, secure and prosperous.

We also call on Ghana to insure that all its citizens, whether at home or abroad, participate in the political dispensation for which the country has been highly regarded. Notably, and in spite of the post-elections crisis engulfing Cote d'Ivoire, Ivoirien abroad were able to participate in the elections process; similarly, there is no excuse for Ghana to disenfranchise a significant proportion of its citizens for the mere fact that they reside outside its borders. This denial of the Ghanaian Diaspora participation in the elections process is tantamount to doublespeak and pre-21st century since all the political parties, institutions, families, communities and other entities benefit from the financial and other tangible and intangible contributions of Ghanaians abroad.

Happy birthday Ghana; long live the Black Star; and let your light shine brightly across the continent of Africa.