A Review of Literature on Ghana’s Dual Membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and La Francophonie: A Paradox of Necessity

Abstract

Ghana’s decision to belong to the Common Wealth and la Francophonie is legitimately strategic. As a developing country and a former colony of Great Britain, it is natural and most appropriate that she belongs to the Common Wealth of Nations which is an association of countries considered to be once under the tutelage of Great Britain, this time to foster new partnership and agreement for their common interest. Again, the fact that Ghana’s immediate neighbours are all Francophone countries necessitates her membership of la Francophonie an organization considered the Francophone equivalent of the British inspired Common Wealth of Nations in order to promote good neighbourliness and benefit from la Francophonie’s prime mission of promoting the French language in a spirit of camaraderie and in an ambiance of linguistic diversity. The study is basically a review and an analysis of secondary data on Ghana’s decision to join the two bodies and brings to the fore the advantages inherent in the decision. Ghana’s dual membership of the Common Wealth and Francophonie is therefore in line with her domestic policy of promoting peace and security, democracy as well as economic and socio-cultural development which are goals both associations ardently share.