Shift focus to Economic Diplomacy - Hackman tells Ghana's envoys

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang on Wednesday tasked newly appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners to promote Ghana's trade and investment agenda abroad to give meaning to the government's 'Golden Age of Business'.
"The days of champagne diplomacy are over, the catch word now should be economic diplomacy and meritocracy is the key," Mr Owusu-Agyemang told the first batch of 22 envoys.
He was opening a 10-day induction seminar organised by the Foreign Ministry to re-orient the appointees to refocus the responsibilities of their respective missions in line with the foreign policy of the government.
Among them are, Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, a journalist, Mr Samuel Odoi-Sykes, NPP Chairman, Lt-Gen Ben Akafia, former Chief of Defence Staff, Col. George Minyila (rtd), and Ms Maureen Amematekpor, a Caterer.
Their accreditations are yet to be announced.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang urged them to project Ghana's image as a peaceful country, as a safe haven for investment and as a country where the rule of law truly operates.
He urged them to give of their best to ensure that Ghana achieves economic development so that she can quickly come out of the unenviable HIPC category.
Citing discussions at the Homecoming summit, which ended last week, Mr Owusu-Agyemang said the Foreign Ministry took severe bashing from Ghanaians abroad for poor delivery of consular services and tasked them to improve on that negative image.
"The consular needs of our citizens must be satisfied speedily, courteously, fairly and humanely," he stated.
The Minister suggested to the Heads of Missions to organise trade and investment seminars, encourage trade and business delegations to visit Ghana, examine target markets for exports and imports and recommend strategies in the face of producer competition.
They should also adopt the use of communication as an effective tool in their home dispatches and safeguard the sovereignty and security of the nation by developing early warning systems.
During the period, experienced diplomats and top government officials would take the new envoys through such topics as 'Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations', 'Use and Abuse of Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities', 'Challenges and Techniques in Running the Foreign Ministry' and 'Comportment and Etiquette'.