Ghanaian foreign policy has been one that has often been misunderstood within the present political dispensation, largely because of the way in which attention has focused on low politics as compared to high political issues. Nonetheless, the Kufuor administration has chalked enviable successes across the globe, maneuvering in and out of both high and low politics and coming out the better for it, culminating in the enviable attainment of the AU chairmanship on January 29, 2007.

On January 21, 2006, I predicted on “Matters Arising” on Choice FM that President Kufuor would end up being AU chairman in the year 2007. At the time, my good friends from the opposition NDC jokingly remarked “in your dreams”, perhaps based on a misunderstanding of what engenders such feats or a truly non-partisan appreciation of what constituted Ghana’s foreign policy. Simply put, Ghanaian foreign policy is one that is focused on the achievement of our national goals by quiet lobbying of other members in the global community. It necessarily implies lots of hard work by our tireless staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adherence to the conventions and treaties we willingly enter into and verifiable evidence of progress in all spheres of national endeavour.

Thus, notwithstanding some human failings in our human rights regime for example, Ghana remains relatively better off compared to some of our contemporaries so that trust, an essential element of state interaction is at once bestowed on us within the context of the rule of law and conformity with international rules and norms. It is this streak and feature of Ghanaian life that as endeared our style of leadership to the international community, creating the opportunity for Ghanaians in all parts of the world to carry themselves with pride, knowing that their efforts to better the lot of humanity would be adequately recognized and rewarded to serve as an attraction for states that are striving to emulate our good deeds since Ghana returned to constitutional governance.

Policy Options

The Kufuor administration could have chosen the path of confrontation and belligerences as some have done, thereby inducing unnecessary conflict and sowing the seeds of mistrust, rancour and instability in the sub region. Instead, it adopted the pragmatic option used by the Republic of Turkey, ensuring “Peace at Home, Peace in the World” thus demonstrating a true appreciation of the fundamentals of a developmental state: peace and stability are a prerequisite for development of any kind. As Busumuru Kofi Annan aptly captured recently, “nobody wants to invest in an unhealthy and troublesome neighbourhood full of conflict and crisis”.

This idea, has constituted the bedrock of the foreign policy approach of Ghana, thereby underpinning its resolve to strive at achieving peace and an amicable solution in Togo, Ivory Coast, Liberia and other regional states for the betterment of the entire continent. Indeed so appreciative are African states of these efforts and diplomatic moves that today, Ghana is enjoying the first ever Presidency of ECOWAS, Ghana held the Presidency of the UN Security Council and now Ghana is ably Chairing the African Union in an era where the quest for peace and international security especially in Africa remains a challenge to the peoples of the continent. I need not overemphasize the role of our own Kofi Annan in providing leadership of a different class at the international level.

The Kufuor administration has not only sought to score diplomatic successes in the difficult political terrain of African politics. Far more important has been its robust pursuit of economic diplomacy, spearheaded by HE President Kufuor himself and ably supported by Foreign Minister Nana Akufo-Addo, so that today, we have a seamless continuity in ensuring that Ghana derives the full benefits of its participation as a noble member of the comity of nations. Perhaps, the brief spell of the President in the foreign ministry as a Deputy Minister, combined with his visionary outlook about where Ghana should be, have combined with the classic understanding of what constitutes modern day diplomacy to enable Ghana reap the fruits of this collective effort.

There are those who rather crassly whinge about the numerous travels of our president, wrongly assuming that these travels are for purposes of pleasure. It is strange that anybody would fathom why a President and his Foreign Minister would subject themselves to the unending trauma of spending a great part of their adult lives in airplanes, with all their concomitant dangers. Thankfully, for these able gentlemen, ‘Project Ghana’ is more important than the peccadilloes of disgruntled sulkers whose only wish is for failure when the evidence points to the contrary. It must be noted that this economic diplomacy is responsible for the temporary respite we enjoyed from our brethren in Nigeria during the harsher days of oil price rises, massive support from the G8 and other bilateral and multilateral partners for our fledgling economy, support for our structural and institutional reforms from the international community and an inflow of funds to feed our future leaders among other major successes.

Today, Ghana is a reference point for a state that is getting it right even if there are still “miles to go before we sleep”. It is indeed refreshing that just as soon as Ghana distinguished herself as an able leader of the world community through the tremendous work of Kofi Annan, another Ghanaian, President John Agyekum Kufuor has carried aloft the torch of our rise and rise in international clout, thereby reinserting Ghana in the thickets of pragmatic international relations practitioners.

We should also appreciate the fact that these positions and increases in stature for our country are a result of the tranquility and stability we have sustained in lieu of the pandemonium that the purveyors of doom have wished for our beloved country. At the most basic level, our investment has paid off, what with the constant and consistent hosting of international seminars, workshops and the like in the tranquil places of our country? It stands to reason that those who have benefited from the unique peace we enjoy in Ghana and the unbridled freedoms therein have demonstrated their appreciation for our resolve to guarantee their safety and liberty whenever they visit our land. The AU Chairmanship is thus a fitting testimonial to the good works that the NPP government has continued to represent despite spurning of same as exemplified through the cacophonous decibels churned out by its anxious opponents.

Challenges

President Kufuor is at once faced with challenges for which this writer is convinced he possesses the requisite skill, personnel and support to address. These stretch from the unfortunate situation in Darfur for which he must contribute towards finding a lasting solution, to management of the situation in Somalia and the collection of small arms in the nooks and crannies of our continent. Coupled with these are the expectations that his Chairmanship will see the consolidation of the democratic experiment in countries of the continent that have elected to lay down arms in deference to their respective constitutions. Ours should not be a ceremonial Chairmanship; given that Ghana has chalked 50 years as a state, we owe it to our brethren in the continent to provide dynamic leadership that would engender further peace and security for our numerous peoples who continue to look for hope in the sea of deprivation, starvation, instability and violations of human rights within the old culture of impunity. In this respect, Ghana is expected to engage with continental leaders like Presidents Mugabe and Al Bashir while helping Presidents Kabila and Johnson-Sirleaf deepen the roots of democracy they are frantically trying to imbibe in their peoples and countries.

The greatest challenge which is at once an opportunity also is for this Chairmanship to be used to comprehensively address the issue of Ghanaian deaths in the sovereign Republic of Gambia. Contrary to those who have asserted that Ghana has paid little or no attention to the tragic ending of 44 or so of our people, Ghana has no right under international law to march into Gambia and demand from our Gambian brethren, an account of what transpired leading up to the deaths. Ghana as a responsible member of the international community must adhere to international norms by following and exhausting all available remedies and seek redress in the spirit of cooperation. Thankfully, with this current position, Ghana can invoke the Human Rights regime of the AU as the operating principle to demand a more in-depth assessment and investigation of the circumstances so as to avert a possible recurrence of that debacle. President Kufuor’s tenure should thus see a quick and amicable resolution of the matter leaving both Ghana and Gambia the winners in the consolidation of respect for the rule of law and fellow feeling among other issues.

Finally, president Kufuor has the unique opportunity to re-present and entrench the new face of Africa, one that aptly represents the dynamics expressed by Foreign Minister Nana Akufo-Addo in his maiden speech as President of the UN Security Council and which is germane now: “There is fortunately a silver lining to the dark clouds that have hovered over the region, and that is the evident determination of the (West) African peoples to construct new societies founded on the principles of democratic accountability, respect for human rights and the rule of law. That determination now dominates the political landscape of the region, and represents the surest path to peace, progress and prosperity for (West) Africa. The example of Ghana’s development under the iconic leadership of one of the region’s new generation of democratic leaders, John Agyekum Kufuor, President of the Republic (of Ghana), is a good illustration of this evolution”. Long may it endure and permeate the length and breadth of our continent to engender progress, prosperity, peace and security for all of its peoples.