AFRICOM PAO Note: This statement by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is being posted on the U.S. Africa Command website in the interest of explaining U.S. foreign policy with African nations. The role of U.S. Africa Command is to coordinate ongoing Defense Department support for U.S. foreign policy. On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Ghana as they celebrate their fifty-third anniversary of independence on March 6. Ghana and the United States share a partnership based on mutual respect and shared commitments to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. As President Obama said in Accra last summer, Ghana's history is rich and the ties between our two countries are strong. When Dr. Martin Luther King watched the Ghanaian flag go up for the first time in Accra, he said, "It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice." As the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to win independence, Ghana has worked hard to deliver on the promise of democracy for its people. And on this anniversary, the people of Ghana can be proud of all they have accomplished. Ghanaian peacekeepers have brought security and stability to troubled lands around the world, from Liberia to Lebanon. And throughout Africa and around the world, people look to Ghana's example as a vibrant democratic society that has seen repeated peaceful transfers of power, improving governance, an emerging civil society and economic growth that helps people lift themselves and their families out of poverty. On this festive occasion, we celebrate both Ghana's progress and its promise for the future. I offer best wishes for a happy and safe holiday and I reaffirm the commitment of the United States to our enduring partnership.