Chief of Mission Priorities

The United States and Ghana continue to have excellent relations based on shared commitments to democracy, religious freedom, free market economics, and collaboration on regional and global issues. Despite recent challenges, including a slow economic recovery and political strain, Ghana remains a key partner focused on regional security and maintaining prosperity.

Our four mission goals support the Ghanaian government’s vision of reducing dependency on foreign assistance, increasing domestic resource mobilization, trade, and economic growth. These goals align with the U.S. National Security Strategy, the State Department’s Joint Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026, and USAID’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy.

Despite prior economic growth, the pandemic reversed many gains, increasing inflation and unemployment, particularly among the youth. Ghana has an opportunity to become a trade and technology hub through the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat and expand its weak manufacturing sector. U.S. support will focus on food security, digitalization, and sustainable management of domestic resources, including renewable energy.

U.S. government assistance will also focus on improving health and education in Ghana, expanding access to quality services, and reducing the spread of diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS. Programs will promote family planning, maternal and child health, and clean water initiatives, with a focus on self-reliance and capacity building at decentralized levels.

In the security sector, U.S. efforts will continue to strengthen Ghana’s military and civilian security services. This includes support for peacekeeping, rule of law institutions, and addressing internal and regional security challenges. U.S. security assistance will focus on capacity building and supporting Ghana’s ability to manage its own security needs.

Finally, the U.S. will work with Ghana to improve governance systems, promote fair political processes, and combat corruption, which remains a challenge at both national and local levels. Strengthening democratic institutions and human rights will be a priority of U.S. assistance in Ghana.

Mission Goals and Objectives

Mission Goal 1 Spur Environmentally Sustainable Long-Term Economic Growth, Trade, and Investment

Mission Goal 1 seeks to improve Ghana’s economic growth, trade, and investment in a sustainable way for the mutual benefit of the United States and Ghana. This goal aligns with the interim 2021 National Security Strategy (NSS) strategic goals of expanding economic prosperity and opportunity grounded in equitable and inclusive growth, as well as investments to encourage innovation, strengthening national competitiveness, producing good-paying jobs, rebuilding American supply chains for critical goods, and expanding opportunities for all Americans. Mission Goal 1 advances Joint Strategic Plan (JSP) Strategic Objectives 2.1 and 2.3, focusing on promoting American prosperity, U.S. job creation, and U.S. economic security. It also intends to advance the interests of the Ghanaian people and their government to fulfill a vision of shared prosperity and security.

Objective 1.2 Improve the Business Environment to Model Transparency, Accountable Governance, and Rule of Law

Ghana’s fiscal deficit and debt levels increased due to COVID-19 spending, while uneven regulatory enforcement continues to undermine private sector growth. Improving the business environment will boost trade, investment opportunities, and revenue mobilization. Mission Accra will mobilize foreign assistance to strengthen institutions, improve service delivery, and build civil service skills.

Objective 1.3 Strengthen Government and International Partners’ Capacity to Prevent, Detect, and Prepare for Climate and Environmental Security Threats

Post seeks to leverage Ghana’s leadership in climate action to enhance biodiversity protection, reduce pollution, and prevent illegal mining and overfishing. Strengthening local capacity for air quality management will improve public health and economic stability.

Mission Goal 2 Promote Opportunity and Development by Investing Inclusively in People

Objective 2.1 Accelerate Sustainable Development in Northern Ghana

Northern Ghana faces significant inequalities, with high poverty rates, poor infrastructure, and climate-related shocks. Addressing these challenges requires a strategic focus on improving service delivery, reducing conflicts, and boosting economic opportunities. Northern Ghana has a high concentration of smallholder farmers, especially women, who face barriers to accessing credit and land. Health and education outcomes also lag behind national averages.

Mission Goal 3 Bolster Peace and Security

Mission Goal 3 aims to counter threats to peace and security, both within Ghana and throughout the region by supporting the Government of Ghana’s efforts to mitigate conflict and combat extremism, transnational criminal organizations, and cybercrime while improving public security and the rule of law.

Objective 3.1 Enable Citizens to Reinforce Peaceful Communities (CDCS IR 3.4)

Violent extremist organizations (VEOs), transnational criminal organizations, and other malign actors exploit weak security forces and cleavages between local authorities and communities. In Ghana, such cleavages exist that could be entry points for VEOs, especially in the northern regions of the country, which are significantly underserved compared to the southern regions. Cooperation between local authorities and communities is often ad hoc and unstructured. Ghana experiences intermittent violent clashes between nomadic herdsmen and farmers and ongoing chieftaincy conflicts, which erode community cohesion.

Vulnerabilities can leave communities susceptible to VEO influence. There is a need for a common understanding between local communities and authorities on how to address these vulnerabilities. Factors contributing to the erosion of social cohesion in Ghana include partisan polarization and intergenerational tensions, as youth often feel excluded from decision-making processes. Programming will promote trust and social cohesion across these cleavages.

• Risks

A deterioration of social cohesion threatens Ghana’s democracy and stability, with ongoing ethnic disputes and marginalization of certain groups potentially catalyzing violent extremism.

Objective 3.2 Increase Capability and Professionalism of Security Forces, Law Enforcement, Defense Establishments, and Institutions of Justice

It is in the United States’ interest to develop Ghana’s military and civilian security service capabilities and strengthen the professionalism of institutions responsible for maintaining peace and the rule of law. This support enhances Ghanaian agencies’ capacity to respond to threats from terrorist groups and organized crime. Ghana’s military contributes to internal stability and is respected in UN peacekeeping operations. Strengthening Ghana’s ability to self-deploy and sustain capabilities is a primary objective of U.S. security assistance activities. Increasing maritime security is crucial, particularly to safeguard Ghana’s offshore oil resources. USG assistance addresses Ghana’s internal and regional security challenges and aims to maintain professional and apolitical security services.

• Risks

Without capable defense and security institutions, Ghana is vulnerable to organized crime, violent extremism, and terrorism. Public trust in security agencies is crucial for stability.

Mission Goal 4 Improve Accountable Governance and Strengthen Democratic Institutions

Mission Goal 4 advances the dignity of individuals, empowers women and youth, and protects human rights in Ghana. By combating corruption and promoting government transparency and accountability, Mission Goal 4 ensures American companies can compete fairly and improves trust between Ghanaians and their elected leaders.

Ghana continues to experience a decrease in public trust in government leaders and institutions. Although legal tools exist to combat corruption, political will to enforce these laws is lacking. In 2019, only 35 percent of Afrobarometer respondents believed the country was headed in the right direction. Ghana ranks 73 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index.

• Risks 

Failure to achieve this mission objective could lead to reduced public trust in government institutions and increased difficulty in engaging credibly with the Ghanaian government.

Objective 4.2 Promote and Protect Human Rights for Vulnerable and Marginalized Groups

Ghana is a vibrant democracy but has an underfunded human rights community. To improve the human rights situation in Ghana, the USG needs capable partners.

• Risks 

Failure to improve the capacity of existing partners may undermine Ghana’s human rights atmosphere and deter business investment.

Objective 4.3 Foster a Free, Safe, Professional, Responsible, and Relevant Media that Supports Democratic Principles

Ghana’s media is recognized as fully free, but concerns remain about ownership transparency and the lack of investigative journalism.

• Risks

Significant backsliding on media freedom could threaten USG operations in Ghana and enable corruption to proliferate.