Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said Ghana will not be forced to choose between competing global powers, insisting that the country will pursue partnerships based on its national interests and the terms offered.
Speaking at a diplomatic side event in New York, Mr Ablakwa said Ghana would assess potential partnerships on the basis of its interests, values, trust and the agreements being offered.
“We don't have to choose. We will not be boxed into a corner. We will play smart,” he said.
He said Ghana’s approach was consistent with the philosophy of Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, who advocated a position of “neither east nor west” but “forward”.
Mr Ablakwa said the growing competition among major powers for Africa’s critical minerals presented an opportunity for the continent to negotiate better terms.
“For us in Africa, because of all of this new AI dispensation and the critical minerals required to drive that, you can't have this discussion without Africa,” he said.
He added that countries offering better terms would have an advantage in securing Ghana’s partnerships.
“We will look at who offers the best deal for the people we serve,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa also called for reforms to the United Nations Security Council, arguing that Africa should have permanent representation.
He criticised the veto power held by the five permanent members, saying it had limited the UN’s ability to respond effectively to conflicts.
“Because of the veto, it has crippled this organisation,” he said, calling for the veto to be abolished alongside efforts to expand permanent membership.
“Democratising the UN and abolishing the veto. It's as simple as that,” he added.
