Ghana beyond aid an analysis of continuity and change in Ghana’s foreign policy goals in the fourth republic

Abstract

Ghana depends heavily on foreign aid to implement its foreign policy goals. However, the aid regime has a myriad repercussions on the country. There is the need for pragmatic foreign policies and programmes to extricate the state from its overreliance on aid. The thrust of the study was therefore to analyse Ghana Beyond Aid within the scope of aid-dependency and strategies for independent foreign policy decision making in the Fourth Republic. The study employed the qualitative research approach. The study used a semi-structured interview guide to collect data from state actors and non-state actors in Ghana’s foreign policy decision making. The state actors included Members of the Ghana Beyond Aid Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliament’s Select Committte on Foreign Affairs while the nonstate actors comprised of CSOs, Experts in foreign poilicy analysis, the media and Diplomatic Missions. Data was analysed using themetic analysis. Findings show that continuity and change in Ghana’s foreign policy goals are determined by past policies and experiences, national interest, public opinion, natural resources and global factors. The study also finds that Ghana heavily depends on aid for economic growth and national development due to factors not excluding the fragility of its economy, aid conditionality, rented political institutions and policies and show of opulence in policy execution in the midst of crisis. It emerged from the findings that foreign aid plays significant role in the development of critical sectors of the economy. These include democratic consolidation and governance, education, energy, health, agriculture and transportation. The study also finds that the pursuit of pragmatic foreign policies and programmes such as low profile international relations, promotion of Pan-Africanist ideals, active role in African integration to enhance regional and national security, bilateral relations with new and emerging economies, and restructuring of the status of diplomatic missions and ambassadorial roles as part of Ghana’s foreign policy goals, namely, economic diplomacy, good neighbourliness policy and promotion of world peace, would move Ghana beyond aid.