Ghana must urgently strengthen its institutions, deepen regional diplomacy and build a more resilient economy if it is to withstand the growing uncertainties of a rapidly changing global order, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Libya, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, has said.
Delivering this year’s Kronti ne Akwamu Lectures organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), the former Minister of Foreign Affairs cautioned that the post-World War II international order is weakening as geopolitical rivalry increasingly shapes relations among nations.
According to her, countries like Ghana can no longer depend solely on the multilateral system that has underpinned global peace and cooperation for the past 80 years.
Instead, she said Ghana must strengthen its national institutions while pursuing active diplomacy through the African Union (AU), ECOWAS and other regional bodies to safeguard its national interests.
“The world we are entering will reward resilient states with strong institutions and clear foreign policy priorities,” she observed. Ms Tetteh noted that Ghana’s security, economic growth and foreign policy can no longer be treated as separate issues, arguing that the changing global environment demands a more integrated national strategy.
She urged policymakers to shift attention from merely developing policies to ensuring their effective implementation, monitoring and efficient use of public resources. According to her, building resilient institutions is just as important as pursuing economic growth if Ghana is to withstand future geopolitical and economic shocks.
Migration demands urgent attention
Drawing from her experience leading the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ms Tetteh warned that Ghana must also pay greater attention to the growing migration crisis affecting thousands of its citizens.
She revealed that Libya has become one of the principal transit routes for African migrants attempting to reach Europe, with many perishing along the dangerous journey.
According to her, officials at Ghana’s Embassy in Libya regularly assist in retrieving the bodies of deceased Ghanaian migrants and ensuring they receive dignified burials.She described the scale of the tragedy as largely unknown to the Ghanaian public.
Ms Tetteh therefore urged government to intensify public education on the dangers of irregular migration while negotiating legal labour migration opportunities with destination countries to protect Ghanaian workers abroad.
She also called for stronger cooperation among African governments to address migration challenges without undermining continental integration.
Africa must speak with one voice
The UN envoy further stressed that Ghana’s interests would be better served through a united Africa capable of negotiating collectively on major international issues. She cited Africa’s success in influencing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, saying it demonstrated that the continent could shape global decisions when it acted together.
Rather than competing against one another for influence and investment, African countries, she argued, should strengthen regional integration and economic cooperation.”Africa’s cooperation is not a luxury; it is a necessity,” she indicated.
Concluding her lecture, Ms Tetteh said the emerging multipolar world presents both risks and opportunities for Ghana. She urged the country to invest in strong public institutions, effective governance, active diplomacy and regional partnerships to remain competitive and safeguard national interests.
“The place Ghana occupies in tomorrow’s world will depend on the choices we make today,” she said, urging leaders to prepare the country for an era defined by heightened geopolitical competition, technological change and shifting global alliances.
