Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ACCRA2304
2005-11-09 17:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Accra
Cable title:  

GHANA'S DEFENSE MINISTER SEES MILITARY AS

Tags:  KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL GH 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002304 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2015
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL GH
SUBJECT: GHANA'S DEFENSE MINISTER SEES MILITARY AS
DEVELOPMENT ARM


Classified By: PolChief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002304

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2015
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PHUM PREL GH
SUBJECT: GHANA'S DEFENSE MINISTER SEES MILITARY AS
DEVELOPMENT ARM


Classified By: PolChief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary: In the Ambassador's first official call on
Minister of Defense Kwame Addo-Kufuor on November 7, the
minister announced his vision to transform Ghana's military
into a "development partner" of the Government of Ghana.
A presidential hopeful, the minister used the meeting largely
as a media event. End summary.


2. (U) Addo-Kufuor thanked the U.S. government for its
support for Ghana's military through the West African
Training Cruise and other training. The minister told the
Ambassador that in the medium- to long-term greater peace in
the West African sub-region will enable Ghana's military to
turn its attention to the country's development. Addo-Kufuor
identified four key areas he expected the military to
address: deforestation caused by the expansion of the Sahara
desert; road construction; bridge construction; and the
provision of low-cost housing. He said he intended to obtain
an Ultimate Building Machine from M.I.C. Industries of
Reston, VA. The Minister said this machine, a mobile unit
that can build structures out of metal, would be used to
build low-cost housing as well as warehouses and airport
hangars.


3. (C) Comment: Addo-Kufuor unexpectedly broke off this
courtesy call after only a few minutes of remarks in front of
roughly 20 print and broadcast journalists. The President's
brother and a presidential hopeful, he clearly used the
meeting to boost publicity for himself. His announced
development plans have not gone down well with some of the
senior military and will be very unpopular with the rank and
file if Ghana discontinues its participation in peacekeeping
operations that are financially lucrative to Ghana's soldiers.

BRIDGEWATER