… President Mahama said Mr Gbeho’s service did not end at the nation’s borders, whether as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, ECOWAS Special Representative for Liberia, or later as President of the ECOWAS Commission, he devoted himself to the …
The Government of Ghana on Friday, July 31, held a state funeral for former Minister for Foreign Affairs and former President of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, in honour of his distinguished service to Ghana, the West African sub-region and the internationa …
… Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa made the announcement while delivering a tribute at the state funeral of the former Foreign Affairs Minister and former President of the ECOWAS Commission on Friday, July 31. …
… Beyond Ghana’s borders, Ambassador Gbeho also served as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, ECOWAS Special Representative for Liberia and later President of the ECOWAS Commission, where he played key roles in peacebuilding and regional integ …
… Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Ghana, commended the Government for hosting the meeting and reaffirmed the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to advancing gender equality in the sub-region. …
… He also served as President of the ECOWAS Commission. The government extended its deepest condolences to the Gbeho family and all those mourning the late diplomat. …
… Beyond Ghana, Ambassador Gbeho also held key international appointments, serving as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia before becoming President of the ECOWAS Commission, where he played a significant role in advancing regional integration a …
A delegation from the ECOWAS Commission has begun a three-day study tour in Ghana to understudy the National Petroleum Authority’s (NPA) regulatory framework on fuel quality standards as part of efforts to strengthen downstream petroleum regulation across the sub-region. …
… nt to Framework: Operationalising a Collaborative Architecture for the Enforcement of Court Judgments.” It brought together Competent National Authorities from Benin, Togo, Guinea, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, representatives of the ECOWAS Commission …
… He was Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, a Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency, and President (formerly Executive Secretary) of the ECOWAS Commission. …
President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang led a state funeral at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra on Friday for James Victor Gbeho, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs who died at age 91 on June 13, 2026. The ceremony brought together prominent figures including MPs, ministers, government officials, and representatives from the diplomatic community, ECOWAS, and the United Nations.
President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang led a state funeral at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra on Friday for James Victor Gbeho, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs who died at age 91 on June 13, 2026. The ceremony brought together prominent figures including MPs, ministers, government officials, and representatives from the diplomatic community, ECOWAS, and the United Nations.
President John Mahama has paid tribute to the late Ambassador James Victor Gbeho at his state funeral on July 31, describing him as a distinguished diplomat who served Ghana with integrity and professionalism throughout more than five decades in public service. Mahama highlighted Gbeho's tenure as Ghana's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations between 1980 and 1990 as one of the longest and most distinguished diplomatic postings in the country's history.
ECOWAS, the Government of Ghana and development partners have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening institutional capacity, gender equality and women's empowerment across West Africa at the 2026 ECOWAS Gender Development Centre Annual Briefing in Accra. The meeting reviewed achievements from 2022 to 2026 and outlined strategic priorities for 2026-2030, including strengthening collaboration among member states and introducing the ECOWAS Gender Observatory to improve gender data collection and evidence-based policymaking.
Ghana will hold a state funeral for late former Foreign Affairs Minister James Victor Gbeho on July 31, 2026, at the State House in Accra. The diplomat served as Chief Director and Deputy Minister in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, UN Special Representative for Somalia, and President of the ECOWAS Commission.
Government has announced a state funeral for the late Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, to be held at the forecourt of Jubilee House on Friday, July 31, 2026, in recognition of his decades of service as a distinguished diplomat including roles as Ghana's Foreign Minister, UN Special Representative for Somalia, and President of the ECOWAS Commission.
A ECOWAS Commission delegation is conducting a three-day study tour in Ghana to examine the National Petroleum Authority's regulatory framework on fuel quality standards, with the aim of strengthening downstream petroleum regulation across the sub-region through experience-sharing and harmonised standards.
The President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice called on Member States to translate their commitment to enforcing the Court's judgments into concrete action, citing enforcement as a pressing challenge for the regional judicial system. The call came at the Second Meeting of Competent National Authorities in Cotonou, Benin, which brought together officials from eight West African countries to operationalise mechanisms for enforcing Court judgments.
The family of Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a distinguished statesman who served as Ghana's Foreign Minister, ECOWAS Commission President, and MP for Anlo, has formally notified President Mahama of his passing. Gbeho was widely respected for his roles in regional integration and global diplomacy at the United Nations.
The family of Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a prominent Ghanaian statesman and former Foreign Minister, has formally notified President Mahama of his passing during a courtesy visit to the Presidency. Gbeho served as Ghana's Foreign Minister, Member of Parliament for Anlo, and President of the ECOWAS Commission, and was widely regarded for his contributions to regional integration and West African diplomacy.
The family of late Ambassador James Victor Gbeho has formally notified President John Mahama of his passing during a courtesy call at the Presidency, fulfilling both cultural and diplomatic obligations. Gbeho was a distinguished diplomat who served as Ghana's Foreign Minister, an MP for Anlo, and president of the ECOWAS Commission, earning recognition for his contributions to West African integration and international diplomacy.
The Agyeman-Rawlings family paid a condolence visit to the family of former Foreign Minister Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, who died on Sunday. MP Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings described Gbeho as a close family friend and offered the Rawlings family's support during the period of mourning.
Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a distinguished Ghanaian statesman and career diplomat who served as President of the ECOWAS Commission, Ghana's Foreign Minister, and UN Special Representative for Somalia, passed away on June 13, 2026, at age 90. A book of condolence is open at his Accra residence from June 17 to July 8, 2026, with visiting hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The ECOWAS Commission has expressed condolences on the death of former Commission President Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, describing his passing as a major loss to Ghana, West Africa, and the international diplomatic community. Gbeho served as ECOWAS Commission President from February 2010 to March 2012 and held several high-profile positions including Ghana's Foreign Minister and UN Ambassador.
Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, who served as Ghana's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1997 to 2001 and as President of the ECOWAS Commission from 2010 to 2012, died at a hospital on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at age 91. Born in Keta in 1935, Gbeho was a lawyer and diplomat who also represented Anlo Constituency in Parliament and held ambassadorial postings in China, India, Nigeria, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and at the United Nations.
Nigeria's team "Error" won the 4th ECOWAS Regional Cybersecurity Hackathon 2026, organised by the ECOWAS Commission and Ghana's Cyber Security Authority in Accra, securing the $10,000 grand prize. The four-day event brought together cybersecurity professionals from 12 ECOWAS member states who developed solutions to regional cybersecurity challenges including ransomware, phishing, and fraud.
Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang opened a two-day ECOWAS Rice Investment Roundtable in Accra, calling on West Africa to view rice farming as a strategic economic asset focused on youth, incomes and economic resilience. She noted that the region spends more than $50 billion annually on food imports, with rice accounting for a significant portion, despite possessing fertile land, water resources and entrepreneurial farmers.
Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has called on African countries to take greater control of their food systems by investing strategically in agriculture, reducing dependence on food imports and strengthening regional cooperation. She noted that Africa spends more than US$50 billion annually on food imports despite having fertile land and abundant water resources, and stressed that transforming agriculture into a modern commercial industry is essential for job creation and economic growth.
The ECOWAS Commission President warned that West Africa's dependence on imported rice threatens food sovereignty, noting that despite a 44 percent increase in regional rice production between 2008 and 2024, demand still outstrips local supply. He urged governments and investors to accelerate efforts towards rice self-sufficiency and develop regional value chains to create jobs and strengthen economic resilience.
Ghana's government announced a new policy requiring rice importers to demonstrate verifiable partnerships with local rice producers before receiving import permits, aiming to accelerate progress toward self-sufficiency and reduce the import bill.
West African countries spend about US$3 to 4 billion annually importing rice, a situation the Deputy Finance Minister describes as economically unsustainable and strategically untenable. He urged stakeholders to close the gap between production and consumption to create jobs, improve farmers' livelihoods, and reduce foreign exchange outflows.
ECOWAS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting regional maritime security initiatives through enhanced cooperation among member states. The Commissioner for Political Affairs noted that coordinated efforts by MMCC Zones and joint annual patrols have contributed to improved security and a marked decline in piracy across the Gulf of Guinea.