Ambassador Kwame Edusei of Ghana: Economic Diplomat

On February 15, 2009, His Excellency Dr. Kwame Bawuah Edusei leaves his posting as Ghanian Ambassador to the United States after more than five years as one of the most popular African envoys ever. Recently, Eleanor Dyment of the Washington Times International Advocacy Department spoke with Dr. Edusei about his work in Washington, the importance of Ghana, and his speculations on what the future holds.

Why are the ties between the United States and Ghana important?

The ties between the US and Ghana are important for three main reasons. The first one is security. The US is the most powerful nation in the world, and if you are friends with them, you are reasonably secure. Secondly, it is a marketplace for the world; Africa and for that matter Ghana can only join global business if we can develop economically. The last reason is our social and historical development. If we want to interact more effectively with the United States, we want a better understanding between Africa and the United States. Hopefully, together we can make the world a better and more peaceful place to live.

Do you feel that Americans, black and white, have a good understanding of Ghana, or is there more education to be done here?

There is more education to be done here. Though many Americans make the effort to learn about our country, there is a long way to go. We need to be more aggressive in our approach to educating the American public about our culture. We especially want the US Congress to know about Ghana, to understand what Africa really is.

The success of Ghana’s recent elections has been hailed in the world press. Ghana has been called a beacon of light and stability in Africa. Why do you think Ghanians have achieved what some other African nations find to be so difficult?

There is a fundamental thing about Ghana. Ghanians are friendly and peaceful people. We were the first country to be independent in Sub-Saharan Africa. But we have had a checkered history with civilian dictatorship, then military dictatorship and adventurism. Eventually, we found these two to be very wrong, and we have decided as a people for true democracy and good governance, the rule of law, human rights, free press, and free enterprise, but that understanding is very recent.

Secondly, during the eight years of President (John) Kufuor’s administration (2001-2009) we learned what democracy is. We are so appreciative that we never want to give it up. So even though the election was very close, perhaps 40,000 votes out of some eight million votes cast, one fundamental issue Ghanians didn’t want to compromise on was their peace. We would rather give the power away and have our peace than fight and kill one another. We decided we wanted peace, and we didn’t want anyone to take our peace away.

But the fundamental fact was that Ghanians are friendly and peaceful, and we have come to the consensus, irrespective of party, that we will live in true democracy and good governance. That, in my opinion, was the foundation of why we could go through this election -- which was a cliff hanger -- in a very peaceful way.

Do you feel that Ghana is a regional leader in Africa with influence over its neighbors?

There is no question about it. We were the first to become independent, and we weren’t selfish at all. Our first president was known to have used national funds to help other countries liberate themselves. And we are instrumental in bringing Africans together. So if you ask most Africans, they see Ghana as a leader.

We realize our responsibilities as leaders of Africans. We are very proud and at the same time quite humbled that we are setting a good example as we did with our elections and our good governance. That is fundamental. Africa has to accept good governance to create peace for our national development. We know we have a responsibility, and we will strive very hard to live up to that high standard, hoping that the other African countries will join us. We need all the support we can get so that we don’t fail. It is very important for Africa that Ghana doesn’t fail.

In the African tradition it is best for all of us to work together instead of for one of us to be showing off. We want to work on a consensus basis to help our neighbors and, for that matter, the whole continent.

What was your proudest accomplishment as ambassador to the United States?

My proudest accomplishment was successful economic diplomacy. During my term we had Fortune 500 companies either going to Ghana for the first time or increasing their investment there. We have ADM opening a cocoa processing company in the middle of the country. We have Cargill opening one in the southern part of the country. Delta Airlines is now flying direct from New York to Ghana almost every day. We have Coca Cola and General Electric expanding their operations. And on top of it all, we had a US company, Kosmos, leading a team of energy companies to find oil in commercial quantities in Ghana. So those economic achievements are the highlights of my time as ambassador.

Another achievement was the fact that President Bush went to Ghana with his team for three consecutive days -- the first time a US president stayed in any African country, including Egypt and South Africa, for that length of time. And then on top of that, the US invited President Kufuor to Washington.

I have had excellent relations with my community. We celebrated the 50th anniversary of our independence in 2007. We used this event to travel all over the US. I went to almost ever major metro area in the US where Ghanians lived to form Ghanian business councils. We encouraged Ghanians to go into entrepreneurship and partner with US companies and bring business back home.

Do you have any words of advice for you successor?

There are two ways of being an ambassador. You can sit here and drink tea and go to receptions and drink wine, which Africa does not need. Or you can take economic diplomacy to the next level.

This is the biggest economy in the world. This is the market place of the world. You have to get out of Washington, go out to the states and sell your country and bring business back. It involved a lot. I haven’t even taken any official lunch. Most of the time, I eat my African breakfast and work throughout the day. And I have traveled to every major metro area trying to sell Ghana.

You cannot sit in one place in traditional diplomatic circles. You have to go out and advocate for your country. And you have to ensure the security of your country because without security, you cannot have economic or social development.

Economic diplomacy is key. Any small country, Ghana included, cannot afford to have an ambassador sitting here and drinking tea and wine. That is absolutely out. I will be very clear. And you have to have a good relationship with the Americans themselves and with the Ghanian diaspora. And you will be amazed how much you can achieve.

Now that you are returning home, what are your future plans?

As you know, I am a medical doctor. I am trying to go back to medicine and have an NGO. I will have a visiting professorship in my alma mater back home, and I will also practice medicine here, so I will be shuttling between Ghana and the US, practicing medicine, promoting business and doing advocacy work.

I will bring all my experience together. I don’t want to be labeled as a doctor alone or a diplomat alone; I will be combining it all. I see the challenges of Africa, and I want to take my experience home.

Will you miss the United States and the American people?

I have lived half of my adult life in this great nation. I always tell my friends that you can only love and admire the US. It is the best functioning democracy and the most powerful country economically.

I will miss it, but the good thing is that the world is getting smarter. In the olden days when you came to the US and then you went back home, you would probably never return. Those days are gone. I will definitely be coming back. My kids were born here.

I lived in Washington which is the capital of the world for twenty years, the last five as ambassador, so I have gotten to know Washington inside out. And I think I need to use that experience to bridge a divide between developed countries, and especially to bring Ghana and the US even closer together.