Ghana and US enjoy good diplomatic relations

17/02/08
Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
GHANA and the United States of America (USA) have had cordial relations over the years. Areas of collaboration between the two countries include democratic governance, trade and international diplomacy.
The bilateral ties between Ghana and US have never been halted since Ghana’s independence in 1957. The relations have soured in recent times with the signing of trade and other diplomatic arrangements, including the Millennium Challenge Compact and extradition treaty. The recent visit of President George Bush to the country attests to the increased relations between the two countries.
The relations, have however, been seen by some critics as a master-boy relations, considering the size and powerful nature of US’s economy and military might as against Ghana’s small population and fragile economy. Nonetheless, they believe that the relations have thrived to the benefit of Ghana.
According to a US official report, “the U.S.-Ghana relations are excellent” and noted that Ghana had a pro-U.S., pro-business stance and playing increasingly significant role in regional peacekeeping.
It is worth-noting that relations between the US and Ghana have been either very open or cautious depending on the government in power over the years.
For instance, the relations between Nkrumah’s government and the US was good but cautious because of Dr Nkrumah’s alignment with the Soviet bloc on a series of issues.
Relations between the two countries was undermined after the overthrow of Dr Nkrumah in1966 , which the US CIA was accused of masterminding.
The National Liberation Council (NLC) government which was more closer to the US saw the bilateral relations between Ghana and US souring. Subsequent governments also continued with this relations.
The Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government of former President J.J. Rawlings somewhat withdrew a bit from the US, but the relations rekindled after the country’s return to democratic rule in 1992.
This was evident in the visit of the former US President Bill Clinton to Ghana during the presidency of former President Rawlings.
The coming to power of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2001 further strengthened the bilateral relations between Ghana and the US, with some people attributing it to the personal relations between Presidents Bush and Kufuour. Some also see the elephant symbols of the Republican Party and NPP as a point of contact.
US’s support to Ghana dates back to the 1960’s when it collaborated with the United Kingdom and the World Bank to finance the Volta River Hydroelectric Project. The US has since been supporting Ghana in several areas.
The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) launched by former President Bill Clinton was a trade avenue to promote the local industry in Ghana and other beneficiary African countries.
In August 2006, the US and Ghana signed the Millennium Challenge Compact of $547 million. The five-year, anti-poverty programme aims to raise the income potential of farmers through increased production of high-value cash and basic food crops, an improved transportation network and development of food processing industries and handling facilities. The Compact also includes an initiative to improve access to education, water and sanitation, and electricity in rural areas.
The US was instrumental in supporting Ghana’s return to constitutional democracy in 1992. The US through its Agency for International Development (USAID), supported the elections and other democratic governance programmes.
The US-Ghana extradition relations are governed by the 1931 U.S.-U.K. Extradition Treaty. In 2003, Ghana signed a bilateral Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement with the United States.
According to the Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon, Prof J. E. Ayee, Ghana and US had enjoyed cordial relations since independence, and indicated that the tie was undermined by the 1966 overthrow of Dr Nkrumah as the USA CIA was accused of masterminding.
He said the relations picked up during the NLC government which was more inclined to the US government.
Prof Ayee said former President Rawlings was not favoured by the US government initially, but the relations eventually developed and culminated in the visit to Ghana of former President Bill Clinton.
He said the recent signing of the extradition agreement between the governments of Ghana and US, which required Ghana to extradite US officials to their country, marked a growth in the relations between the two countries.
Prof Ayee said President Bush’s visit to Ghana was significant as it meant that the US had endorsed Ghana’s democracy, meaning that “Ghana is in the good books of the US”. It will consequently boost the international image of Ghana as democratic state.
Besides, he said, the visit would promote bilateral ties between the US and Ghana, in the areas of trade, security and good governance.
Prof Ayee said the visit would offer Presidents Kufuor and Bush, who had worked together in the last seven years, the opportunity to say good bye to each other as they were ending their second and last terms in office.
A former diplomat, Mr K. B. Asante, agreed that the relations between the US and Ghana had been good over the years, but said, “America seem to get all that it wants” in that relation because of its size and economic might. Nonetheless, he said, “the US meant well in their relations with Ghana”.
He said the US had intervened in industry and services in the country, and mentioned the Workers Brigade as an example.
According to Mr Asante, Dr Nkrumah was cautiously friendly with the US, but was not antagonistic to that country.
The relations, he said, paved the way for the US to back Ghana to secure a loan from the World Bank to construct the Volta Dam.
He mentioned the AGOA and MCA as some of the contributions of the US to Ghana’s economy, saying that “the US are trying their best within their means”.
Mr Asante was against the reported plans by the US to establish a military base in Ghana since the country was not at war nor its security threatened.
He said the reported military base would only serve the national interest of the Americas, which had the tendency of disturbing African unity.
Mr Asante said it was Good to have President Bush visiting Ghana as it would afford the two Heads of State the opportunity to discuss bilateral co-operation.
The two Presidents have some connections as both the Republican Party of President Bush and the NPP of President Kufuor have the elephant as their symbol.
Besides, the two Presidents are seen to be trying to promote good governance and co-operating with other international bodies to make the world a better or safer place.
Presidents Bush and Kufuor are also in the final year of their two terms in office.
Presidents Kufuor and his counterpart are expected to discuss issues, including poverty, HIV and AIDS, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), African unity and regional security.
It is hoped that the discussions will further strengthen bilateral ties between Ghana and the US and consequently support the Ghana’s dream of attaining the middle-income status by 20015.