Ghana’s Diplomacy In The 21st Century: Prospects And Challenges

Abstract

The belief that Ghana’s diplomatic organisation offers far less value than it used to, is the result of people in diplomatic roles not being fully aware of the development that has taken place and currently happening. The study aimed to identify the changes, prospects and challenges in Ghana’s diplomacy in the 21st century. For the purposes of this analysis, a qualitative and deductive method were used. The study used both primary and secondary data. The study used purposive sampling method to select a sample size of 20 respondents. The information gathered for the study was transcribed verbatim and organized into appropriate themes and analyzed (Thematic Analysis). The study found that some changes in Ghana’s diplomacy in the current century include adequate integration of technology in diplomatic operations that has improved communication, transportation, service delivery and ultimately, the overall performance. The study found that some prospects of Ghana’s diplomacy in the 21st century are easy and fast communication, increased promotion and national image building, effective crisis management and conflict resolution, and dynamic roles of foreign mission. The study found that some challenges of diplomacy include difficulties in integrating IT tools into diplomacy, challenges in policy implementation, hacking and information breaches. Some recommendations are that the Government should invest in the right cybersecurity equipment and software to be able to prevent or control the attacks by hackers. Institutions and other stakeholders should use the new media social media to educate the citizenry to practice self-leaning about new technologies in Diplomacy.