Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says the decision by the United States’ Vice President, Kamala Harris, to visit Ghana first on her three-leg Africa tour is testament to how important Ghana is to the US.
According to him, the Americans over the years have cultivated a strategic alliance with Ghana spanning public health, security, education and trade.
He noted that the Vice President’s visit to the country was significant as it was a continuation and preservation of that strong alliance.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, he said, “the symbolism is significant and it tells you that the example that we are on the African continent, our stability, our democratic credentials and the fact that we remain a role model nation for many African countries despite our setbacks particularly in the economic arena.”
He added that it was for this same strategic alliance that Mrs. Harris has committed to put in a word on behalf of Ghana at the IMF as the country seeks a bailout from the Bretton Woods institution.
“…All of that clearly they are all concerned that Ghana, the huge reputation we have, the fact that we are such a strategic ally, they would not want the Ghanaian economy to collapse,” he said.
On other collaborations between the US and Ghana, he said Ghana being made the deployment centre for key Ebola medical aid and support during the Ebola epidemic was also as a result of the long-held alliance.
“…The fact that Ghana has been a hub for all kinds of, you know, deployments, if you look at even when Ebola struck, remember that President Mahama had made a case at the United Nations that the US and other Western nations had agreed to use Ghana as the logistics hub, through which they were more comfortable to work through Ghana to reach out to the affected nations.
“You look at even the Millennium Challenge account; you’ll notice that Ghana was a special case from AGOA all the way. And so in terms of all of those strategic alliances, in health, public health, in security, in education in trade, we really are an important nation, to the Americans,” he said.
Okudzeto Ablakwa said that strategic alliance has become more critical now that the US is trying to consolidate her waning influence on the continent in the face of China’s rapid expansion on the continent and the Russians attacks on Ukraine which has received wide support from African countries.
“Don’t forget that currently, in terms of the geopolitics, we have a seat at the Security Council, we are one of the 10 non-permanent countries At the Security Council. And with what is going on every now and then there is a critical vote at the United Nations on the on-going Russia Ukraine conflict.
“And remember that Africa has not been, if you like, decided, voting in a unanimous way. The last time there was a count Africa was virtually divided. A good number of African countries abstained, and the Americans will want to have more allies.
“On the case of Ghana, you will say that our President has already committed so that gives further impetus. The Americans feel more comfortable to deal with that. But they would want to consolidate that, you know, alliance,” he said.
