The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has made a passionate appeal to global powers to bring an end to ongoing conflicts in parts of the Middle East, urging world leaders to listen to the silent suffering of innocent civilians caught up in war.
Delivering an address at the World-Meets-in-Ghana Executive Gala at the Manhyia Palace in his honour as a Pillar of Peace, he called on those he described as holding the destiny of the world in their hands to pay attention to millions of people who have become collateral victims of wars they barely understand.
According to him, many ordinary people across communities, including in Ghana and other parts of Africa, remain unaware of the causes of these conflicts yet continue to bear their consequences.
The Asantehene stressed that the distressing scenes broadcast on global media platforms represent only a fraction of the true scale of suffering, noting that the full impact on vulnerable populations worldwide remains largely unmeasured.
He further highlighted the plight of both indirect and direct victims of war, emphasising that billions endure hardship in silence, with their pain and despair often overlooked.
Making a strong call for global peace, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II appealed to leaders across conflict zones—specifically mentioning cities such as Kyiv, Tehran, Tel Aviv, and Beirut—to prioritise dialogue and reconciliation.
The Asantehene, widely recognised for his mediation and peace-building efforts, reiterated the urgent need for peace to safeguard innocent lives and restore global stability.
“We convey to the powers who carry the destiny of the world on their fingertips to hear the cries of the millions who are the collateral victims of wars about which they have not the faintest idea.
There is no single Ghanaian in a city, town or village, and no African anywhere who is not being impacted by the raging wars.
“Indeed, I submit that the heart-rending suffering we are seeing on the airwaves is only a tip of the iceberg. The true collateral damage to the innocent villages of the globe is yet to be measured.
The innocent billions of the world who are the collateral victims are crying in silence and their cries of anguish and the tears of despair can no more be ignored.”
