President Mahama Urges Envoys to Promote Investments and Development in Ghana

President John Dramani Mahama has opened a high-level Conference of Heads of Mission and Orientation Programme for newly appointed Envoys, scheduled to take place from Monday, September 1 to Friday, September 5, 2025. The conference, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is themed “Harnessing the Dividends of Diplomacy for Ghana’s Reset Agenda.”

The conference aims to equip Ghana’s diplomatic representatives with the tools, knowledge, and strategic guidance needed to advance the country’s foreign policy priorities. It also marks a significant step in aligning Ghana’s diplomatic missions with the government’s broader development and international cooperation agenda.

Launch of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

During the conference, President Mahama launched Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Heads of Mission, introducing a results-based framework to enhance the effectiveness of Ghana’s diplomatic engagements abroad. The KPIs are designed to measure the success of envoys in securing investments, trade, and opportunities for Ghanaians.

In his speech, President Mahama urged the newly appointed ambassadors to project the country’s image and drive Ghana’s economic and developmental agenda. He emphasized the importance of economic diplomacy, saying that Ghana’s missions must evolve into hubs of economic engagement, facilitation of trade, attractive investments, and promoting innovation.

Priorities for Ghana’s Diplomacy

President Mahama outlined several priorities for Ghana’s diplomacy, including:

Promoting investments in key sectors such as industrialization, renewable energy, digital services, agro-processing, infrastructure, and tourism.
Expanding export markets for value-added goods such as processed cocoa, shea butter, textiles, crafts, and digital services.
Mobilizing the diaspora to invest in Ghana’s development and participate in the country’s growth.
Managing diplomatic missions with integrity, efficiency, and professionalism.
Championing pan-Africanism and advocating for climate finance, fair carbon markets, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

Education and Innovation

The President also tasked the envoys to secure scholarships and training opportunities for young Ghanaians, forge academic and research linkages between institutions of higher learning abroad and Ghanaian universities, and attract technology and innovation partnerships.

New Era for Ghana’s Diplomacy

The launch of the KPIs marks a new era for Ghana’s diplomacy, with a focus on results-based performance and accountability. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, noted that the new KPIs are intended to support the reset agenda and demonstrate the ministry’s willingness to work towards achieving tangible results.

As Ghana’s envoys embark on their new roles, they are charged with turning diplomacy into opportunities for the good of all Ghanaians. With a focus on economic diplomacy, innovation, and partnership, Ghana’s diplomatic missions are poised to play a critical role in driving the country’s development and growth.