Successive gov'ts must retain 60% of career diplomats – Ayorkor Botchwey

Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has made a strong case for a quota between career diplomats and political diplomats.

She is of the view that 60% of career diplomats should be retained by successive governments to continue to pursue the foreign policies of Ghana while the remaining 40% is reserved for politicians.

According to her, since career diplomats spend their entire life pursuing the foreign policies of Ghana, it is better to retain 60% of them in order to preserve the sector’s institutional memory.

“In my opinion, there should be 60% to 40% in favour of career diplomats,” she noted.

Madam Ayorkor Botchwey made this observation when she took her turn at the Appointments Committee of Parliament for vetting on Monday.

The issue of career diplomats being relegated to the background for political appointees has been a topical issue across the African continent.

While some are of the view that career diplomats be given the opportunity to continue their good works whenever there is a change of power, others share the belief that they should be changed since their political affiliations may not be known and as such could work against the successive government.

But Madam Ayorkor Botchwey appearing before the Appointments Committee thought otherwise.

She told the committee chaired by the 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, for purposes of continuity vis- a-vis institutional memory, it will be ideal to introduce a quota system where 60% of career diplomats will be retained.