today it is fair to say that yemen is one of the worst places on earth to be a child more than eleven million yemeni children are to be in acute need of humanitarian assistance that's almost every single yemeni boy and girl are during this are voting in a presidential election that's why they are expected to return the incumbent to power one i wonder when and those who have the center right national party has been praised for bringing down the sky high murder rates and raising economic growth the critics say he is trying to tighten his grip on power eight years after he supported a coup against the previous president. pakistan's government and military have agreed not to use force to disperse protesters near the capital islamabad and the

demonstrators have blockaded roads for weeks angry about the wording of a parliament you bell rallies have spread to several other cities since saturday when at least six people died after police trying to clear a protest camp stay with talk to al-jazeera space to go on as president about the challenges facing his country are back in about twenty five minutes for another bullet to go away. michael. you will. see. typically associated in international media with political instability disease poverty corruption

dictatorships and the lack of human rights and democracy african countries struggle to deconstruct the stereotypes. one of the few exceptions seems to be the republic of ghana having gained its independence from the u.k. in one nine hundred fifty seven ghana today at least on the surface is enjoying political stability the multi ethnic population coming together in peaceful democratic elections but why is gonna so different from its neighbors in this respect and how has the country managed to solve social and political problems the rest of africa is dealing with was there still work to be done here we will find out as nona out of president of ghana talks to al jazeera. president a governor a very warm welcome to talk to. was nice of you to have appreciated thank you

africa going through a lot of developments at the moment many of the country's seismic changes for some of you look at what's happening in zimbabwe see turner on your border the state capture in south africa so there's lots to talk about there as an african leader but let's first talk about. the domestic issues and how your country stands out against many of these countries because it's considered so successful why is that while as you know we were the first of the sub-saharan african countries the higgs suffered colonialism to get free. sixty years ago so that sort of his condition. the development of our country. and then the first three or so decades after independence were very turbulent volatile we went through all kinds of issues one party

state and the government. a succession of military governments and i think that by the beginning of the ninety's especially with the what happened of the downfall of the soviet system was a strong recognition in ghana really we needed. to go down the path of democratic and gate. and that having been taken in one thousand nine hundred eighty two we had the first to watch seven elections. and the determination over going to people to go through democratic principles. election after election has been stronger terms of his credibility and transparency and there's also meant

the willingness of the population to accept the results of. his height but how did you get it right when so many countries are struggling with that concept because we have power on because we have it in your filter down to the people because we had our problems we were the first we have the problems first what is the kind of system and after after the turbulence of the volatility of the first thirty odd years after independence the people of ghana of the deserve the really determine. the evolution and the outcome of. made up their mind that they want to democratic government they were determined on the multi-party state and they would insist that we the political actors also act with them so three times in recent history. changes of government from the opposition to the government office and it has been done in the context which is

a mouthpiece to flourish in the country and also for. principles of democratic accountability so it went into that realm and you look at a country like zimbabwe we've seen the military step in and take over basically i mean do you think that eventually it will rise like the phoenix two once and go through some of the processes that you did though is this a totally different story and a different ideas at play here and i think i think the end of the day will also in the the determination to. engage democratic values i believe will triumph in zimbabwe it's a pity that. the current political situation has degenerated to the extent that it's fun itself to come directly into play is that ever solution can never be a long term solution obviously it can never be

a long term solution but i have no got enough information about what actually took place why. the situation is a war for be be able to say this is my professional show how important is it for stakeholders then to get involved in the democratic process in a country like gun i mean you've got different tribes you've got different ethnic groups you've got different religions how do you make sure that everybody feels that they are involved in the democratic process in the education system that they're all benefiting equally first of all you know the insistence the political parties in ghana have an. ethnic coloration has been very important the two main parties. represented in all parts of the country and they have been strong regional or strongholds no two ways about that but nevertheless the coverage

the reach of the parties is true we must now. the language of our constitution is also insisting on a national response to. all kinds of principles in the constitution read to principles that insists on the canadian as the gays in regional or ethnic response to events but then i keep coming back to the experience of our people who have gone through some very difficult times in the past a lot of turbulence and have now decided that they want democracy they want democratically i think the one you have the bedrock they provide the contours of contacts determines. the state action and the response of state or and how stable is that bedrock on on your border you've got togo it's got massive problems there demonstrations trying to overthrow the president obviously good ties strong ties

with the country you've got a refugee situation happening. are you worried that that could provoke some sort of instability in the country could you have tension you have to be worried of course you can't be complacent i mean i remember vividly. twelve years ago when the father of the current pres died the first. president he had a mother who was a crisis a success and the issues of emerge from the one hundred thousand to winnie's came across the border to settle in some are still there they never went bad it is true that the people live on the border of children than i sensed in the same people is that the target problem i mean god has been accused of meddling in the past is it something that should be dealt with internally last to be dealt with. we will do whatever we do we can to assist. a brother and a neighbor and they say that when your neighbor's house is of intelligent thing is

to help them put it out before the fire. and we're doing that we're playing a role in trying to. see to what extent. discussions can take place among the main actors so that the solution a peaceful solution can be found but they have a peculiar history. and is that history that is playing itself out but i am confident that the if you like the model democracy in africa is something that is going to be very difficult to reverse now the because democracy represents different things to different people and that the way it should be. universal appeal it has to do freedom of expression and that's to do with freedom of association it has to do having

a compact the capacity peacefully to change governments if you put somebody there are no good for five years later if the brother put you. to have that i think all people relish the power and western opportunity and take. south africa which has been a strong force for democracy on the continent since apartheid was was. the even though you've been a party. of almost overwhelming support in the country that party was very careful not to close the democratic space in terms of rebuilding credit now what's happening i mean using a system that is being. a it's changing it's changing raped it's been abused i mean this is also one of the problems of liberation parties is that changing has to

change i don't think that the a.n.c. and even those who needed to think that they would have the predominant have in south african political life forever there will be some stage or another the. mechanics. of development will mean new alliances will form you will you political configurations will emerge i mean mechanics are strong enough inside. africa i know there's a strong did it judiciary an independent media the state all those factors strong enough do you think to. balance because you don't hear language. of those who think that another system will. respect or you hear people say. the presence. of well i think the attachment to the values on the part on the pen

democratic against them i feel the strong and. proud of africa pan africa you know a strong africa when you see what's happening in countries like kenya the voting process the election electoral process that that seem to have gone through great difficulties at the moment south africans and maybe does it worry you. when you see that worry me out the very same time for me i think the we. have the end of the bay also to be historians and to recognize that the evolution of democracy even in the areas of the world where it has been consolidated and europe and in america we went through many many many stages and many events some of them very turbulent. potentially destructive of them but they were in the end of the day to overcome it and in the systems of the principles and institutions that have been

. very strong that it is becoming becomes difficult to contemplate being set aside even today in europe in the current with these populist right wing movements taking place some of those on the to a certain antidemocratic but they're still taking place within the democratic space i think because the institutions of european tomorrow. i'm are very strongly entrenched within the body politic or the various nation states of europe i believe that the problems that we see on our continent i'm not saying we have to be complacent thing that all it's happened elsewhere so we should just sit back and it will happen to us but we need to work at it we need all those of us who are attached to it have to be active in going to pick up so on something you you said a little earlier on about freedom of expression so i want to ask you about what is happening in your country and homosexuality for example which i believe is illegal

and it's punishable i mean why is homosexuality still illegal in your country. these and social cultural issues if you like. to don't believe that in guyana so far. a sufficiently strong correlation. which is having that impact on public opinion that will say change it and have a new thing and that's something you would get behind i think that is something that is bound to happen and when that happens what's going to provoke it what's going to make it. like like like elsewhere in the world like elsewhere in the world . of individuals of groups i grew up in england i would school board and i grew up on the timing when. he was banned. and i lived the period where

british politicians thought. anathema even to think about changing the law and suddenly the activities of individuals or groups or a certain awareness. grew and grew and grew stronger and it forced to change at the leave of those of the same processes that will bring about changes. in our situation the moment i don't feel i don't see. that there is. a straw current of opinion that is saying this is something that we need. it's not even if it's not so far a matter which is on the agenda let me ask you about something you tweeted about you said critically men and boys must take responsibility to say responsibility rather say no more no more child marriage how big a problem is that in the country and why do you think it's still there is it in education. of this culture of the educational stroke cultural and.

economic the economic difficulties of force people to be a certain sort of life but these are these are matters that. we are determined to try and do something about because it has a devastating impact on society does it does the. there's a big campaign to to raise awareness on. the determination. of the laws are in force. and the general awareness of the society was on the matter is growing stronger and stronger so when i'm stronger and stronger position to deal with the matters of equal concern. there's also human trafficking right is very much a function of of conditions of poverty and of of extreme poverty unfortunately in some parts of the country and therefore also. to criminal

syndicates prey. to organize. your wife is very involved in fighting a hiv aids which is very outspoken about it how big a problem is it in ghana is it and do you think that african countries are doing enough to defeat this. speak on the. only one size fits all if. you want to but i think that we're making a good fist of it encounter. the prevalence rates are the client. the awareness of the issues is very strong much stronger in gaza today than it was say ten years ago and all of that is part of the response has been to government determination to make it an issue people around which people tend to get to talk

about the stigma that has been important but it's something that we can sort of sleep on we have to continually be active. so i'm quite active on twitter and i see that you met donald trump and. your traits are very different what do you think of them. the figure on television and what you read about. volatile picture that you get of seems to change but then there's a person that we met i was with a group of. african media during the last un general assembly in september in your. eight or nine of us were invited by him so

much the impression that he can convey. the sense of and solve them very different from the public image where first of all a certain humility he walked. i don't know too much about your place. have called you here from tommy and so i can. just say that i have two friends. but the attitude that he. learns i think most of the people very wise and. in leadership in africa. but some of the been there for a long time i could see were. significantly surprised. by his manner when it comes to africa do you think donald trump will be good for

africa obviously he touches america first policy you seem to have negated what a lot of people thought that possibly doesn't know much about africa that is not going to be good for africa where do you think that relationship will go and could it be a competitor held a competitor to china. the. them america for their residence. it's not something that is all necessarily negative as far as i'm concerned because i've been the when the need of a nation that has to be your concern with the interests of your people in your country for us and i think that what we on the continent our so required to do at all times is to define for ourselves what our interests what. and one of the instruments we need to assemble to be able to prosecute them and realize these goals and you think it's a healthy balance and i do think africa's an able to retain enough of what it needs

when it comes to the big players like the u.s. and china maybe because of the end of the day even the period of liberation was undoubtedly helped by the cold war reality of the west and the so obvious you look to that extent to i think yes there could be a positive aspect of before this competition between the two great. players which allows us also to chart our own independent response to what we need to do to develop our continent you also tweeted that you believe it's time for africa to come of age and hold its rightful place on the world stage this africa will be neither victim no opponents africa will be honest to itself and to the world i do think it's ready for that now. how does africa achieve that it has to be because.

the caricature of us as either paul victor. there's nothing for a. self-evident through africa's own fault because of the story that's been told about africa do think there's a misunderstanding. before you feel weak people will take advantage of and that's what we have been for a long week take the issue that has become a big issue for us. sixty years after independence we are still dependent on so-called donor support to finance important parts of our budget health education. and on the exceptional situation for any suffers you think of a government will will achieve will will have. the balances corrected by policy

is corrected by internal mobilization. it's corrected by a focus on the really that's an intolerable situation and we should be in a position to finance our own development let me just ask you about your big government forty eight ministers foreman is a state sixty deputy minister is i believe it's the largest government in africa what is the thinking behind that because i know that many people do look at gun as a right when it comes to transparency and. corruption. are ranking very low so how does this. then when you see a gun and ten years from now the the big government as you call it is because we need that that capacity. we can we can sit you still structure you have. some public services. was enthusiasm for moving things in a particular direction may not be

a strong as it should be and therefore to have a political handle that is saying this is where we're going and that's where we're determined to go is extremely important ten years from now i'm looking at a guy now that is so much has much greater self-confidence and is now financing its own act and with his has reduced considerably his dependence on a because of the economy it's working the private sector of our country is growing stronger and stronger and the arrangements that we need to make with the outside world i increasingly a raise with of our on our to the garment that we're looking at is the governor others come of age some ten years some of the governor some two years from independence pursued by the time you really standing on our own feet were a great deal of confidence that that gamow's within reach is within reach because

of the focus the we're trying to bring to national development i think that we've that focus succeeds. in ten years time and muscle lobular are good at that let's review the scouts and what my thoughts are i think within that time. or the image of the framework within which people look at gun and look and see it will be radically different president i'm gonna. thank you for talking to i'll just thank you so much for having me a piece of. louisville

. hard. enough. to cover just. feel is watching i think the reports say africa as it is. making. their way we take our time getting to know the people we meet the soldiers are in order to convoy the road. in the past one is outside the house really telling stories also he's not just about al jazeera it's about the people

who tell the stories about. overthrow and exile they appoint and say if you'll go. to an intimate film about the struggle of the elected leader of madagascar to return to his country and reinstate his presidency you know there's a true true she's by and we've. nothing to gain if you think she is the lucrative . return of the president at this time on al-jazeera. london the top stories on al-jazeera at least fifty.