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0 David Ofosu-Dorte, Senior Partner at AB & David Africa, has urged Ghana to adopt a more geopolitically conscious approach to its foreign policy and tactical decisions in light of evolving global power dynamics and shifting alliances.
Speaking at the JoyBusiness Economic Forum on JoyNews, Mr Ofosu-Dorte underscored the need for what he termed “geo-sensitivity” — the ability of a nation to respond tactically and strategically to international developments with awareness and foresight.
“Our tactic — and I differentiate strategy from tactic — refers to what we do every day when something occurs. The question is whether we are geo-sensitive in making those tactical decisions,” he said. “This is not the first time I’m raising this; I keep talking about it.”
He stressed that Ghana must not simply react to global events based on others’ agendas, but rather develop and implement its own strategic responses grounded in national interest.
“I don’t care as much about geopolitics as I care about geo-strategy and geo-sensitivity,” he asserted. “What we often call geopolitics is just someone else’s strategy that we end up reacting to.”
Referencing Israel’s recent military strikes on Iran, Mr Ofosu-Dorte explained that such actions reflect Israel’s own strategy to curtail Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He cautioned that Ghana’s response to such global events must be measured, deliberate, and guided by national interest.
“If Israel bombs Iran, it’s because they fear Iran’s nuclear ambitions — that’s what they’ve said. That is their strategy. How we respond must be geo-strategic, and our policies must reflect that sensitivity.”
He also analysed Ghana’s recent abstention from a critical vote at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran’s nuclear compliance. The vote, held on 12 June — just a day before the Israeli airstrikes — saw countries like Russia, China, and Burkina Faso voting against the resolution, while Ghana abstained.
“In my view, Ghana’s abstention had more to do with Morocco than Iran,” he suggested, citing Ghana’s recent foreign policy shift from recognising the Polisario Front to supporting Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara.
“Morocco doesn’t recognise the Polisario and Western Sahara. Ghana recently changed its position and declared support for Morocco. That, in my view, is a geo-sensitive decision that affected whether we abstained or supported that resolution.”
Mr Ofosu-Dorte concluded by emphasising that consistent geo-sensitivity must become a central part of Ghana’s national governance and foreign relations.
“The point I’m making is that countries should constantly be geo-sensitive, whether they’re African or not. As a country, we must be consciously geo-sensitive in every decision we take.”
