The Government of Ghana has taken a bold step to strengthen ties with Africans abroad by appointing five high-profile figures as envoys for the upcoming 2025 Ghana Diaspora Summit.
Announcing the initiative in Accra, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the move reflects a deliberate strategy to position culture, innovation, and identity at the heart of Ghana’s diplomacy.
The honourees – Wode Maya, Lady Dentaa Amoateng, Rocky Dawuni, Anita Erskine, and Ibrahim Mahama – will each receive diplomatic passports, a gesture that Mr. Ablakwa described as both symbolic and practical.
“They are already global ambassadors for Ghana and Africa. By giving them diplomatic status, we are institutionalising their role and equipping them to advance our common agenda of unity, pride, and prosperity,” he stated.
Diaspora as Ghana’s “17th Region”
The 2025 Diaspora Summit, scheduled for December 19–20 in Accra under the theme “Resetting Ghana: The Diaspora as the 17th Region”, will bring together government leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society actors from across the continent and beyond.
With plenary sessions on investment, innovation, reparations, and culture, the Summit aims to reposition Ghana as a hub for global African engagement. Officials believe that empowering respected cultural figures as envoys will give the summit a human face and rally wider participation.
Diplomacy Beyond Borders
For the Foreign Ministry, this is not just about celebrating achievements but about reshaping the way diplomacy is done. By elevating a YouTuber, a musician, a broadcaster, an entrepreneur, and a visual artist to envoy status, Ghana is signalling that influence in the 21st century is not limited to politics or economics but extends to storytelling, creativity, and networks of trust.
“These envoys embody Ghana’s soft power. Their credibility in global spaces allows them to mobilise resources, ideas, and goodwill that governments alone cannot achieve,” Mr. Ablakwa stressed.
Strategic Recognition
The Ministry believes the initiative will also counter negative stereotypes and amplify Africa’s story from authentic voices. The chosen envoys are seen as a bridge between the homeland and millions of people of African descent seeking reconnection.
As the December summit approaches, the recognition of these five individuals is expected to set the tone for a gathering that officials describe as not just another conference but a reset of Ghana’s engagement with its diaspora.
