Hannah Tetteh Meets The Press

Hon. Hannah Serwah Tetteh, has taken her turn at the ‘’Meet the Press’’ series to brief a cross section of the media on the positive impact her Ministry is making towards the Better Ghana Agenda of President John Mahama.

The Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister noted that her Ministry in discharging its responsibilities, maintained a direct correlation between the interventions made in the international arena and the realization of the economic and social goals of the ‘’ Better Ghana Agenda’’.

Since the assumption of President Mahama to the high office of the land in January, Ghana she disclosed has continue to espouse its traditional foreign policy of positive neutrality which is critical in shaping and sustaining the country’s overall foreign policy agenda.

This move according to her, has resulted in Ghana actively engaging with all countries on friendly terms without taking any ideological sides while prioritizing relations with her immediate geographical neighbors’ in the West African sub-region and the African Union as a whole.

She announced that the pursuit of peace and security in West Africa will continue to be given high priority in the conduct of Ghana’s foreign policy as they are essential for growth and prosperity.

‘’ It is our conviction that Ghana’s internal peace, security and development will remain inseparable from the peace and stability of the Sub-region’’ she said.

She pointed out that the primary area of interest in Ghana’s foreign policy is the West African sub-region and that the major concern is to rid the ECOWAS region of conflicts that threaten peace, security and political stability which according to her when achieved will enhance development and progress in the Region.

To this end, hon. Hannah Tetteh announced that the Ministry has placed great importance to the policy of ‘good neighborliness’ by focusing on promoting mutual trust and confidence among the leaders of the sub-region as the basis for addressing common challenges.

She mentioned transnational crimes such as money laundering, drug and child trafficking as well as the proliferation of small arms and light weapons as common challenges to development across national frontiers in West Africa. In the area of Regional Integration, she disclosed that the Ministry continued to engage with Ghana ‘s economic partners within the ECOWAS arrangement, with the aim of promoting greater and freer trade and movement of persons, goods and services within the community so as to make the ECOWAS truly a community of people rather than that of politicians and bureaucrats.

We [The Ministry] ensured the maximum participation and contribution of Ghana to regional integration and development process, which derived for the country the optimum benefit from its ECOWAS membership.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry as the ECOWAS National Unit of Ghana, hon. Hannah Tetteh said significantly engaged in the developing and updating of community data system on ECOWAS and organized public campaign and sensitization programs for public sector workers. ‘’ It also coordinated the participation of Ghana’s delegation in the meeting to review the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods held in Abuja in March this year which also recommended for the revision of the Protocol to ensure its effective implementation’’. My Ministry also as part of its Regional Integration duties coordinated the participation of President John Dramani Mahama in the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held in Abuja, Nigeria, in July 2013.

The meeting which focused on the roadmap for sustaining peace and restoring constitutional rule to Mali and Guinea Bissau ended with the sub-regional leaders calling for the lifting of the sanctions imposed on Guinea Bissau by the African Union considering that the country has made significant progress in its reconciliation and democratic process.

The leaders were also pleased with their efforts as well as that of the Republic of France under the leadership of President Francoise Hollande and other countries in restoring peace and order in Mali.

These activities amongst others the Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister stated ‘’clearly demonstrate her Ministry’s continued efforts at giving substance to Government’s declaration of making regional integration the flagship of Ghana’s foreign policy and to deriving maximum benefits from its membership of ECOWAS for socio-economic development’’. ?