On 6th March 1957 Ghana became the first Country of Africa south of the Sahara to become free from colonial rule, under the guidance of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, a personality of extraordinary prominence in the process of decolonization and the first President of the Republic of Ghana.
Ghana is today among the most stable countries in Africa and can count on a political system which has favoured the birth and consolidation of democratic institutions, the respect of human rights and the freedom of the press. Between 1992 and 2004, four elections were held in Ghana which were recognized by international observers as fair and transparent. These paved the way in 2000, for the first time in the history of the Country, for the peaceful succession to the Presidency of the Republic, when the current President John Agyekum Kufuor, leader of the New Patriotic Party, defeated Atta Mills – the candidate of the National Democratic Congress, party of the former President Rawlings. Mr. Kufuor was then confirmed for another four-year term of office following the elections of 2004.
The next presidential elections will be held in December 2008 and the main parties (including the New Patriotic Party: this time President Kufuor in observance of the constitutional conditions cannot stand for a third term) are already engaged in the electoral campaign which will lead to the choice of respective candidates for the highest office of the State.
Ghana enjoys a favourable period also from the economic point of view, having scored within the last few years excellent macroeconomic results (stabilized rate of growth of about 5%, control of inflation, stable rate of exchange) particularly appreciated by the donor Countries and I.F.I., and following development policies aimed at sustaining and improving the private sector.
It is therefore in a very positive climate that Ghana is preparing the great event of 2007 – the celebration of the 50th Independence Anniversary.
On the international political scene, Ghana continues to play a very active role in all multilateral forums, starting with the United Nations in whose peacekeeping forces Ghana participates in a significant way, especially within the African Countries. Also in Lebanon a Ghanaian contingent, recently reinforced, is participating in the UN mission.
In the biennium 2006-2007, Ghana sits in the Security Council as a non permanent member and has also been elected member of two new bodies of the United Nations, the Peace Building Commission and the Human Rights Council, for which, what is more, it obtained the highest number of votes.
Ghana plays a leading role also in the regional organizations: the African Union and more directly the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which Kufuor assumed the presidency in the biennium 2003-2004 and whose Executive Secretary is the Ghanaian Chambas.
Historically, Ghana holds a tight bond with the European countries, in particular the United Kingdom (an ancient colonial power), conducting as well a foreign policy with a global view: the United States remain a privileged partner and in recent times relations with Asia (China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia) have been intensified.
With regards to Italy, a strong interest is found on the part of Ghana to widen and deepen relations with our Country with which already exists an unquestionable accord on important topics that are at the centre of debates at international fora, such as the pursuit of peace and security, the respect of democratic rules, the protection of human rights, the North-South relationship and the development of Africa.
In respect of Italy, a vivid gratitude is here expressed for the realization of some great infrastructural works (such as the dam on the Volta River built by an Italian company in the sixties), and also for the cancellation of bilateral debts in June 2005 to the amount of 33.87million Euros.
Also not to be forgotten is the strong presence of a well integrated Ghanaian community in Italy, which numbers about 30.000 people, most of them residing in regions of Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and the Friuli.
A big boost to the strengthening of the relations between the two Countries was the state visit to Italy of Ghana’s President Kufuor which took place in October 2006. It was considered an event of exceptional level, because it was the first state visit under the term of President of the Italian Republic Napolitano and the first by a Head of State of the Republic of Ghana to Italy.
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