One of our keenest fears and concerns at the GhIIA.org revolves around the question of RECORDS in West Africa. Poor archiving and historical practices mean that a large part of the record of the sub-region and continent is lost or in danger of being lost. Added to this is the fact that the record that exists is not easily accessible, is often tainted by bias and anecdote, often consists of top line summaries only and is not disseminated or popularised. For instance, the detailed record of the negotiations that led to the Ghana- Mali -Guinea Union are not readily charged in the general knowledge of West Africa. There is a keen need to capture the record-recollections, interviews, archives, of the key players in West Africa, lest it’s lost to memory. Alas, our keenest fears have come alive in one for. One of the most pivotal actors in West African affairs, has passed unexpectedly. Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, Head of State in Ghana from 1982- 2000 was a charismatic, lightening rod figure who charged Ghana and the sub-region for over 2 decades. His impact on Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs in West Africa and Africa for was immense. Indeed, there is extant narrative that his brand of ‘revolution’ created panic in many African capitals, with governments worried over coups with clone Rawlings’.Many a popular insurrection, was inspired by Rawlings and often saw the leaders of such activity turn to Rawlings for advice. Indeed, as recently as a few weeks ago, the military junta in Mali had made a point to visit him, as they negotiated the period post their coup. Indeed, a major repository of the key record of diplomatic and strategic affairs in West Africa has been lost, as outlined in this obituary from the Guardian. Former President JJ Rawlings with the Malian Coup Leaders. Photo credit: Office of Former President Rawlings One of the deepest tragedies of this era, in our humble opinion, is that we will not be able to access 1st hand information from the President Rawlings. How will we find out his thought and knowledge on what became known as the Soussoudis Affair? How did he get over the diplomatic and strategic difficulties of the expulsions of Ghanaians from Nigeria in 1983, to forge such strong links with Nigerian leaders like Generals Babaginda and Abacha? What compelled him to keep Ghanaian peacekeepers in Rwanda, when many others cut and run? Is it true he and President Museiveni planned to airdrop troops into Ougadougou, with Libyan support, to save Captain Sankara? Outside Nkrumah, JJ Rawlings has been the imprimatur on Ghanaian / ECOWAS foreign Policy, and his passing truly marks the end of an era. Nelson Mandela with J.J Rawlings. Photo credit: gettyimages.com We wish his family and loved ones, and the people of Ghana, our deepest sympathies.

Accra, 4 November, 2020 Webster University in Ghana today announced the signing of an MOU with the Institute of International Affairs, Ghana (GhIIA.org). The memorandum covers a collaboration between the organizations in various areas, including research with a focus on International Relations and International Business. Speaking on the sidelines of the signing ceremony here in Accra, Ms. Awoyaa Mensah, the Director of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships at Webster University -Ghana Campus noted “This marks a very key aspect for us here in Ghana. Knowledge production and delivery have always been a collaborative process and we are very excited to partner our organic international strengths with the innovative and forward-looking posture of GhIIa.org. We envisage this will lead to extremely quality research with high impact utility to Ghana and the sub-region.” In his remarks at the event, Mr. Cherk Klutse, Head of Programs and Outreach at the GhIIA.org said “This is an exciting day for the International Studies ecosystem in Ghana and Ecowas. With this MOU, we aspire to ramp up the level of reports, indexes, and other knowledge activities that civil society, business and public institutions require. This will also provide opportunities for faculty and students in the field, including internships and access to research grants and programs.’ Webster University is a U.S.-based international university with campuses within many countries across the world including Ghana. Webster University is known to ensure high-quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence. The GhIIA.org is an Accra-based, independent non-partisan think tank, with a core focus on Ghanaian and ECOWAS International Relations analysis. Its core thematic areas of research include International Trade and Economics, Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Practice, Diaspora Affairs, Strategic Studies. Media Contact: Cherk Klutse Cklutse@ghiia.org Head | Programs & Outreach Office : +233 55 245 1958Mobile : +233 54 919 64448th Ashong Lomotey Street,La, Accra, Ghana.www.ghiia.org

With the 2020 General Elections fast approaching, we are in the season of manifestos and conversations around policies and ideas for governance are the order of the day. The two main political parties have all launched their manifestos, each with a foreign policy component. Foreign policy components of manifestos serve as a guide or indication on how a political party believes the country should proceed in safeguarding its self interest in relation with its dealings with other countries. It is worth mentioning that, of all the political parties contesting in this year’s elections, only the NDC and the NPP have launched manifestos that explicitly contain foreign policy positions. Thus, this article seeks to shed light on the foreign policy positions as stated in the 2020 manifestos of the NDC and the NPP. United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Theresa May Greets President Akuffo-Addo at №10 Downing Street (20th Nov, 2017). President Akuffo-Addo is the leader of the NPP. Picture Source: Prime News Ghana. NPP Manifesto — FP positions On the 22nd of August 2020, the ruling New Patriotic Party launched it’s Manifesto under the theme: Leadership of Service: Protecting our progress, Transforming Ghana for all. Led by President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo, the governing party made 9 main promises for Ghana’s Foreign Policy, to be implemented between the years 2021–2025. These promises and policy positions are; Continue to promote and support ECOWAS and the AU domestically and internationally to accelerate the pace of regional and continental integration and engage as a united front in global relations As the host country of the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), be very active in seeing to the operationalisation and success of AfCFTA Expand the level of engagement with, and promote the interests of the Ghanaian and African Diaspora Continue to facilitate the election and appointment of Ghanaians to positions in various international organisations. To this end, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has created a Candidatures Unit to pursue aggressively vacancies that may occur in various international organisations and recommend, as well as support suitable Ghanaians to apply Strengthen our engagement, among others, at the multilateral level including Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, United Nations and other international Conferences, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, and La Francophonie (OIF) Exchange of High-Level Visits consistent with efforts to deepen substantially Ghana’s international diplomatic footprints and strengthen bilateral relations in pursuit of our political, cultural, and economic interests, and Strengthen relations with countries in the Americas, the Caribbean, and Asia Introduce chip-embedded passports to keep up with technological advancement and enhance the security of Ghanaian passports, and Implement the project to issue Machine-Readable Visa Stickers The siting of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA) Secretariat in Accra is a significant foreign policy variable. AFCTA features prominently in both manifestos for the 2020 election. Picture Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. For the purpose of this article, these positions/promises have been broadly categorized into 7 thematic areas: 1. Regional Integration 2. AfCFTA 3. Diaspora Engagement 4. Human Capital Development 5. Multilateralism 6. Bilateral Relations 7. Passport Administration United Kingdom’s Prime Minister David Cameron having a chat with President John Mahama in London (12th May, 2016). Former President Mahama is the leader of the NDC. Picture Source: Crown copyright. NDC Manifesto — FP position The main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress, also launched its Manifesto dubbed, The People’s Manifesto, on 7th September 2020. In this manifesto the NDC put forth 17 “Promises” for the conduct of Ghana’s international relations. The promises and policy positions by the NDC include, Formulate an economic diplomacy blueprint to serve as a policy guide to diplomats and all staff of the Foreign Service on clear deliverables under Ghana’s economic diplomacy agenda Enhance the general conditions of service for Foreign Service Staff including restoring duty waivers on vehicles for staff returning from postings Leverage and place Ghana’s hosting of the African Continental Free Trade Secretariat at the heart of our industrialisation drive by ensuring that Ghana becomes Africa’s trade, transport and investment hub. Restore the high regard for career diplomats, enhance esprit de corps and meaningful career progression deserving of career diplomats by ensuring that the majority of ambassadors and envoys are selected from the stock of career diplomats. Establish a Consular Support Fund as a line item in the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to cater for distressed Ghanaians abroad who may require urgent consular assistance. Conduct an asset inventory of all diplomatic properties with the view to pursuing an aggressive asset improvement and maintenance programme — this review will also seek to address the phenomenon of unsustainable expenditure on rent in favour of the more economically prudent option of owning our own properties. Deepen Ghana’s famed Pan African credentials by putting forth a raft of policies targeted at forging stronger and concrete bonds with Africans in the diaspora and African Americans beyond the occasional visits afforded by “PANAFEST” and “The Year of Return” to a more permanent mutually benefiting relationship. Ensure that consistent with our track record, we will actively canvass for many more Ghanaians to assume high offices in reputable multilateral organisations. Renew our commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the AU’s Agenda 2063 by fully domesticating and aligning our development goals across all sectors with these global imperatives Further enhance Ghana’s internationally renowned image in peace operations which marked a milestone this year in commemoration of sixty (60) years since Ghana’s first peace operations deployment in the Congo Improve conditions of engagement and also increase the number of females in troop deployment consistent with modern UN standards Protect the inviolability of the premises of all Foreign Missions in Ghana as required under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations in order to avoid the recent embarrassing spectacle which created a diplomatic stand-off between Ghana and Nigeria when the latter’s properties were demolished in Accra Reappraise the geographical representation and economic significance

Accra, February 19, 2021, The Institute of International Affairs, Ghana, a leading Ghanaian Think Tank has won plaudits at the James Madison University’s 11th Interdisciplinary AAAD conference for its innovative idea to investigate how Social media is serving as a bridge between African American Diasporas and the African homeland. The institute participated in James Madison University’s 11th Annual Interdisciplinary AAAD Conference, which was held from February 17–20, 2021, on the theme “Movements, Collectives, and Collectivity.” This conference was held virtually and included a group of scholars and archivists from a wide variety of overlapping and intersecting fields connected to Africana studies. The GhIIA team, represented by Mr. Cherk Klutse, Head of Programs and Outreach, and Mr. Charles Ansre, Head of Research, delivered a presentation on the topic of global partnerships in the age of virtual educating and living, a view from Accra. The panel was moderated by Dr. Melinda Adams and other members on the panel included Swabra Abdallah, a representative from the United States International University-Africa, Kenya, and Taryn Roberts, a representative of the James Madison University, USA. The thrust of the GhIIA’s presentation was to highlight how the institute had responded to the shocks of Covid 19 by accelerating the use of technology in structuring global partnerships. This included offering virtual internships and executing in-person events virtually. The high-point of the presentation however was the institute’s findings on their investigations on how social media is serving as a bridge between Africa and the diaspora. Mr. Charles Ansre, Head of Research at GhIIA.org, speaking on this said “Our initial investigations point out that cultural exchanges are being accentuated at a faster pace than ever before due to the influence of social media. In the past, it would have taken a number of years for a cultural trend in African to transfer to the diaspora in the U.S; we now see that in a matter of days or weeks. Music starts on the continent are finding greater traction amongst the diaspora and indeed we are seeing social media as the bridge. Mr. Cherk Klutse, Head of Programs and Outreach at the GhIIA.org, in support of this presentation also noted that “It is indeed these insights that drove the Institute’s focus on aggressively exploring global partnerships based on new technology and virtual platforms”. He asserted in his closing remarks that, “Post-covid, the virtual platforms that have been developed will not go away but will be fused into a merged experience where some interactions will be virtual and others in-person.” In her comments on the conference, Taryn Roberts, Director at James Madison University, noted that “The JMU values its partnerships with institutions in Ghana including the Kufuor Foundation and the Institute of International Affairs, Ghana (GhIIA.org), and looks forward to further developing these strong ties using virtual platforms. She went further to highlight the Summer Abroad program saying that; “the JMU has an award-winning Summer Abroad Program which has been in existence for the last 20 years in Ghana under the leadership of Prof. Owusu Ansah, a well-known Ghanaian academic and historian who is on the faculty to JMU. The discussion ended on a high note with the GhIIA.org offering to the JMU to host the next AAAD conference in Accra, Ghana. For more information on the 11th Annual Interdisciplinary AAAD Conference, please visit www. https://www.jmu.edu/africana/aaad-conference.shtml #ghanatotheworld About GhIIA.org The GhIIA.org is an Accra-based, independent non-partisan think tank, with a core focus on Ghanaian and ECOWAS International Relations analysis. Its core thematic areas of research include International Trade and Economics, Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Practice, Diaspora Affairs, Strategic Studies. Media Contact: Cherk Klutse Cklutse@ghiia.org Head | Programs & Outreach Office: +233 55 245 1958 Mobile: +233 54 919 6444 8th Ashong Lomotey Street, La, Accra, Ghana. www.ghiia.org

A panel of leading diplomats and experts on gender advocacy have lauded the eight years of continuity of Ghanaian female foreign affairs ministers, as a critical milestone in the nation’s quest for gender parity. They made these observations during a panel discussion organized by the Institute of International Affairs, Ghana (GhIIA.org), to mark eight years of female leadership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI) and to celebrate International Women’s Day 2021. The distinguished panelists, hailed the record of women’s leadership in Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as evidence of an upward trend of sensitivity to gender balance in Ghana’s public administration and governance. “Ghana is making gradual progress in efforts at gender empowerment, gender equality, and gender equity, and it is beautiful to see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, becoming a torchbearer in that journey”, the panel chorused. They acknowledged that Ghana still has more grounds to make in the quest for gender empowerment, but stressed the need to celebrate recent successes. “We’re not quite there yet at the promised land of gender equality in public administration. We cannot rest on our oars. But the emerging progress should be celebrated to give more inspiration and impetus to the agenda of gender empowerment”, they reiterated. This panel included Dr. Afua Boatemaa Yakohene, a Research Fellow and focus person for training at the Legon Centre of International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD), University of Ghana; former High Commissioner of Ghana to Canada, His Excellency, Nii Ayikoi Otoo and Ambassador William Azumah Awinador-Kanyirige, a retired career diplomat. Others on the panel included Mr. Cherk Klutse, head of Programmes and Outreach at the GhIIA, and Ms. Christabel Dadzie, founder and chair of Ahaspora Young Professionals. The veteran diplomats, their Excellencies Nii Ayikoi Otoo, and William Azumah Awinador-Kanyirige reflected on their experiences working under Honourable Hannah Tetteh and Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchway. They extolled the extremely high standards of both women, which had achieved a lot for Ghanaian diplomacy. Such strong track records of female leadership, they observed, is incontestable proof, that women were definitely key to the talent pool of the global affairs practitioners and could do the job of female leadership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana. Contributing to the discussions, Dr. Afua Boatemaa Yakohene, applauded the continuity of women leadership at the Ministry of Foreign affairs and expressed the hope that, such a feat would be replicated across other key ministries. “The time has come for women to take their rightful place in the public administration of Ghana, and the achievements of women in this ministry is a glowing tribute to what women can contribute”, she observed. “Soft power and quiet but steadfast diplomacy come naturally to women. No wonder our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has successfully charted Ghana through some treacherous diplomatic waters of late, for instance, the Ghana-Ivorian dispute over our oil resources. Who knows what could have happened if others were in charge? Let’s give women the chance”, she stressed. Sharing some insights from a research paper from ghiia.org, Mr. Cherk Klutse outlined that there is a need to maintain advocacy for gender parity, as key institutions like ECOWAS, for instance, are yet to have female leadership. He further noted in his presentation that, of the 64 countries with actual missions in the country, only 10.9% had female apex leadership, which creates the need for increased advocacy both at national and international levels, especially in the context of new paradigms and approaches to global affairs, for the participation and role of women in foreign affairs and international security. The event themed “Celebrating Women in Leadership — 8 years of Female leadership at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration” was a virtual event with over 200 participants. It aimed, to among other things, celebrate the achievements of Ghanaian women in the fields of diplomacy and international Relations; provide a role modeling platform for women seeking paths for growth in Ghana and Africa’s International Relations ecosystem; and raise awareness for women empowerment in Ghana and Africa.

Accra, March 27, 2021, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, Her Excellency, Hannah Tetteh, has challenged Ghanaian women to break the glass ceiling in Global Affairs careers but warned that this would only be realized when young women adopt the right approach to life. She made this comment when she took part in a virtual Role Modelling discussion organized by the Institute of International Affairs, Ghana (GhIIA.org), themed, “Showcasing successful women in Global roles”. The former foreign affairs minister urged young women to develop the right life attitudes, skills, and ethics that would propel them to the highest heights in their professional careers. “There is no substitute for competence and hard work if you want to excel in your careers”, she cautioned. “Though there are increasing affirmative action policies in the United Nations, for instance, merit is still the key recruitment factor. Your success in global institutions would not come on a platter of gendered sympathy”, she warned. She bemoaned the attitudes of some of the current generations, who choose to ride on privilege rather than hard work, adding that, such an attitude has no place in international institutions. “It’s unfortunate,” she said, “ that, some in the current generation shun hard work in expectation of easy doorways that must be opened through family or other kinds of connections.” “This would deprive you of the right attitude you need for self-development, which is a key factor for progress in merit-based international institutions.” Touching further on the skills necessary for the field of diplomacy, Her Excellency, Hannah Tetteh, who is presently the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the African Union, urged young women with aspirations to careers in global affairs to develop excellent communication and linguistic abilities as those are vital prerequisites for a successful diplomatic career. “Communication and negotiation are the vehicles that drive diplomacy. Honing your communication and negotiation skills would prove priceless in your future global roles”, she counseled. “You would also need strong mentorship and networks of those who blazed the trail you want to tread”, she concluded. She advised young women to take language training seriously, as the ability to communicate in multiple languages was a crucial ingredient for success in international institutions. “Ghana is surrounded by francophone countries, and an international career in the sub-region and beyond would be severely hampered by language limitations. You must strive to become bilingual”, she implored. The panelists for the event also included H.E Harriet Siaw-Boateng (Ghana’s Ambassador to Belgium and Permanent Representative to the European Union), Ms. Adelaide Asante (Chief Operating Officer ‎African Institute of Mathematical Sciences — AIMS Ghana), and Dr. Lucy Agyapong (Associate Dean of Engineering at Academic City College). They advised the current generation of young women to prepare themselves to seize the opportunities of their era to make a mark in their professional endeavors. They extended a hand of mentorship to those who are willing to learn from the older generation. The event is one of a series, organized by GhIIA.org, to mark International Women’s Day. It aimed to celebrate the achievements of Ghanaian women in the fields of diplomacy and international relations; provide a role modeling opportunity for young women in international relations, and raise awareness for gender empowerment in Ghana and Africa. — -ENDS — – #ghanatotheworld About GhIIA.org The GhIIA.org is an Accra-based, independent non-partisan think tank, with a core focus on Ghanaian and ECOWAS International Relations analysis. Its core thematic areas of research include International Trade and Economics, Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Practice, Diaspora Affairs, Strategic Studies. Media Contact: Prosper Senyo psenyo@ghiia.org Lead | Media Engagement Office: +233 55 245 1958 Mobile: +233 54 919 6444 8th Ashong Lomotey Street, La, Accra, Ghana. www.ghiia.org

Accra, March 27, 2021, Her Excellency, Harriet Sena Siaw Boateng, Ghana’s Ambassador to Belgium and Permanent Representative to the European Union, has encouraged young Ghanaian women to cultivate the passion for International affairs from an early age if they desire to make strides in global institutions. This, coupled with intellectual curiosity and excellent communication skills, would lay solid foundations upon which an international relations career would thrive, she noted. She made these observations when she joined a panel of successful women in a virtual Role Modelling discussion organized by the Institute of International Affairs, Ghana (GhIIA.org), themed, “Showcasing successful women in Global roles”. Expanding further on her position, she explained that, a sense of curiosity at an early age provides the urge to learn, which is critical in providing young girls with the vital knowledge pool they would need for the rest of their international affairs careers. “You may have heard it said so often, that knowledge is power. This is so true, particularly in the field of international affairs”, she said. She noted that critical thinking and objectivity are invaluable traits in a diplomatic career, and a large knowledge base, conditions the development of such traits. “Unlike some other careers, international affairs, demands a lifetime of nurturing your talents and developing knowledge in the field, and this can only be possible, where passion and a love for the field, collide at an early age”, she said. “ You would have to develop an eye for what happens around you. And because of the interconnectedness of our world, with time, you would discover the relevance of a seemingly unimportant domestic issue, in international affairs”, she added. Pondering on some of the challenges she faced along the way, she disclosed that she has had to walk the “tight ropes” between family responsibilities and her career, as well as the need to work as thrice as hard as men, in order to prove her value. “ But though I have had to pass some opportunities along the line due to family commitments, my career has been hugely fulfilling thus far, and this can be your story too”, she encouraged the audience. She lauded the affirmative policies that are springing up in global institutions, including the AU, and urged young women to capitalize on them and excel through hard work, passion, and self-improvement. “And while at it, don’t forget to seek out mentors who can direct your paths in this pursuit”, she concluded. Ambassador Harriet Sena Siaw-Boateng, a product of Achimota School and Oxford University, is a career diplomat with decades of experience in diplomacy and international relations. The panel for the occasion also included Her Excellency, Hannah Tetteh ( Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana), Ms. Adelaide Asante (Chief Operating Officer ‎African Institute of Mathematical Sciences — AIMS Ghana), and Dr. Lucy Agyapong (Associate Dean of Engineering at Academic City College). They shared their experiences in top professional roles and encouraged the younger generation to be inspired by the achievements of successful women in order to seize the opportunities of their generation. The event is one of a series, organized by GhIIA.org, to mark International Women’s Day. It aimed to celebrate the achievements of Ghanaian women in the fields of diplomacy and international relations; provide a role modeling opportunity for young women in international relations, and raise awareness for gender empowerment in Ghana and Africa. — -ENDS — – #ghanatotheworld About GhIIA.org The GhIIA.org is an Accra-based, independent non-partisan think tank, with a core focus on Ghanaian and ECOWAS International Relations analysis. Its core thematic areas of research include International Trade and Economics, Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Practice, Diaspora Affairs, Strategic Studies. Media Contact: Prosper Senyo psenyo@ghiia.org Lead | Media Engagement Office: +233 55 245 1958 Mobile: +233 54 919 6444 8th Ashong Lomotey Street, La, Accra, Ghana. www.ghiia.org