FOREIGN
RELATIONS
Ghana is active in the United Nations and many of its specialized agencies, as well as the World Trade Organization, the Nonaligned Movement, the African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Generally, Ghana follows the consensus of the Nonaligned Movement and the AU on economic and political issues that do not directly affect its own interests. Ghana has played an increasingly active role in sub-regional affairs, including prominent roles in ECOWAS and the African Union.
Ghana is a critically important peacekeeping partner; it is the largest African peacekeeping contributor nation to multinational peacekeeping operations (PKO) and the sixth-largest among all peacekeeping contributing nations. Currently Ghana has 3,267 peacekeepers deployed to UN peacekeeping operations. It has large contingents deployed in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Darfur region of Sudan, Lebanon, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire, with smaller contingents deployed in Chad, Western Sahara, Kosovo, Southern Sudan, and Georgia. Ghana contributes military and police personnel to UN peacekeeping operations outside of Africa, including nearly 900 troops to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon. The United States provides military support to Ghana through a variety of programs, including the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program and the African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) program. President Mills has been a key ally on all major security initiatives in the region including counterterrorism.
U.S.-GHANAIAN
RELATIONS
The United States has enjoyed good relations with Ghana at a nonofficial,
personal level since Ghana's independence. Thousands of Ghanaians
have been educated in the United States. Close relations are maintained
between educational and scientific institutions, and cultural
links, particularly between Ghanaians and African-Americans, are
strong.
Through the U.S. International Visitor Program, Ghanaian parliamentarians and other government officials have become acquainted with U.S. congressional and state legislative practices and have participated in programs designed to address other issues of interest. The U.S. and Ghanaian militaries have cooperated in numerous joint training exercises, culminating with Ghanaian participation in the African Crisis Response Initiative, an international activity in which the U.S. facilitates the development of an interoperable peacekeeping capacity among African nations. U.S.-Ghanaian military cooperation continues under the new African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program; Ghana was one of the first militaries to receive ACOTA training in early 2003. In addition, there is an active bilateral International Military Education and Training program. Additionally, Ghana is the site of a U.S.-European Command-funded Exercise Reception Facility that was established to facilitate troop deployments for exercises or crisis response within the region. The facility is a direct result of Ghana's partnership with the United States on a Fuel Hub Initiative. Ghana is one of few African nations selected for the State Partnership Program, which will promote greater economic ties with U.S. institutions, including the National Guard.
The United States is among Ghana's principal trading partners. The Office of the President of Ghana worked closely with the U.S. Embassy in Accra to establish an American Chamber of Commerce to continue to develop closer economic ties in the private sector. Major U.S. companies operating in the country include Newmont, ADM, Kosmos Energy, Anadarko, DHL, FedEx, UPS, KPMG, ACS, CMS Energy, Coca Cola, S.C. Johnson, Ralston Purina, Star-Kist, A.H. Robins, Sterling, Pfizer, IBM, 3M, Motorola, Stewart & Stevenson, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and National Cash Register (NCR).
The discovery of major oil reserves in deep water in the Gulf of Guinea has led numerous American petroleum exploration firms to enter the Ghanaian market, and many other firms involved in oil and gas auxiliary services express an interest in starting operations in the country. Mining companies and agri-businesses from the U.S. increased their investments in Ghana recently. Political stability, overall sound economic management, a low crime rate, competitive wages, and an educated, English-speaking workforce have increased Ghana's potential to serve as a West African hub for American businesses.
U.S. development assistance to Ghana in fiscal year 2007 was implemented by USAID, the African Development Foundation, Millennium Challenge Corporation, and others. U.S. development assistance to Ghana in fiscal year 2007 totaled more than $55.1 million, with programs in small farmer competitiveness, health, including HIV/AIDS and maternal child health, education, and democracy/governance. Ghana was the first country in the world to accept Peace Corps volunteers, and the program remains one of the largest. Currently, there are more than 150 volunteers in Ghana. Almost half work in education, and the others in agro-forestry, small business development, health education, water sanitation, and youth development. Ghana's $547 million compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation is the most recent achievement in the U.S.-Ghanaian development partnership.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Donald G. Teitelbaum
Deputy Chief of Mission--Sue K. Brown
Director, USAID Mission--Robert Hellyer
Defense Attache--Lt Col Benjamin Moody
Senior Commercial Officer--Heather Byrnes
Public Affairs Officer--Mary Scholl
Political Chief--Gary Pergl, Acting
Economic Chief--Philip Cummings
Management Counselor--vacant
Consul--Michael Evans
Deputy Consul--vacant
The U.S. Embassy is located at 24th Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra (tel. 233-21-741-000). The mailing address is P.O. Box 194, Accra, Ghana. For American citizen services and visa questions, the Embassy consular section telephone number is 233-21-741-100.
