Ban Ki-Moon credits Akufo-Addo for his election as UN Secretary General

South Korean diplomat, Mr Ban Ki-Moon has expressed gratitude to President Akufo-Addo for playing a key role in his election as UN Secretary-General.

The former UN Secretary-General said he was indebted to President Akufo-Addo who as Ghana's Foreign Minister played a very good role as a campaign manager which resulted in him (Ki-Moon) winning the election on October 13, 2006.

"I take this opportunity to recognise President Nana Akufo-Addo, my longtime friend. "We started as Foreign-Ministers of both countries, I visited Ghana in 2006 and I am still very much indebted for his strong political support for me to be elected as Secretary-General...," Mr Akufo-Addo said.

"...He (president Akufo-Addo) really played a very good campaign manager... Thank you very much, Mr President, I will never, never forget".

He added that President Akufo-Addo was a very committed leader who not only cares for Ghana but for Africa and the whole world.

Mr Ban Ki-Moon was speaking at the Africa Netpreneurship Summit held on Saturday in Accra.

In attendance at the event was President Akufo-Addo, billionaire Jack Ma, The Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful and actor Jet Li.

President Akufo-Addo cited United Nations figures that estimated Africa’s working population in 2035 will be equal to about a quarter of the world’s total population, while a third of the world’s youth population – those between the ages of 15 and 24 – will be in Africa.

The empowerment of this population, such as through education and the regulatory environments necessary for their businesses to thrive, “will constitute very powerful tools for economic development in Africa and the world,” he said.

“Entrepreneurship is a vital component of economic growth, and has been embraced globally as one of the most important drivers of development,” said President Akufo-Addo, adding that it specifically helps to address unemployment, especially among young people.