Ghana: President Mahama Appoints Special Envoy to AES, Strengthens Ties Amid Tension with ECOWAS

President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has appointed Larry Gbevlo-Lartey as Special Envoy to the Sahel States Alliance (AES), signalling a more substantial commitment to regional security and cooperation. This move was officially announced on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, following Mahama’s inauguration as president on January 7, 2025, in Accra, where Mali’s President and leader of the transitional government, General Assimi Goïta, was invited to attend.

The appointment of Gbevlo-Lartey, a retired military officer and former national security coordinator of Ghana, comes at a pivotal moment as the AES member countries, including Mali, are set to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by the end of January 2025.

Ghana’s appointment of Special Envoy reflects a deeper push to fortify cooperation with Mali and other AES nations, especially in the face of ongoing security challenges in the Sahel.

Recall that President Mahama reiterated Ghana’s commitment to strengthening ties with Mali, emphasising the importance of working with AES member countries to address the growing insecurity in the region.

We want to work together to find appropriate solutions to the problems, particularly insecurity, affecting Mali and the other member countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, Mahama said, as quoted by Maliweb.

Larry Gbevlo-Lartey brings extensive experience to this role. His background includes a distinguished military career, where he gained significant training in India, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Cuba. Gbevlo-Lartey’s regional security and counter-terrorism expertise will be vital in strengthening Ghana’s diplomatic and security efforts within the AES.

This appointment highlights the ongoing shift in alliances within the West African region. This is part of broader efforts by AES member countries, including Burkina Faso’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who also attended Mahama’s inauguration, to recalibrate their relations with ECOWAS. The tension between ECOWAS and the AES has led to a policy divergence, with Ghana seeking to strengthen its bilateral ties with Mali and other AES nations.

It was earlier reported that the Prime Minister of Mali, Major General Abdoulaye Maiga, arrived in Accra, leading a high-level delegation to deliver a message from Mali’s President of the Transition, Army General Assimi Goita.

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