Press Release

Dr Emmanuel Akwetey of Ghana has been appointed to the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group by Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma. The founding Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), one of Ghana’s leading research and advocacy organisations, will join the EPG which has been requested by Commonwealth Heads of Government to recommend options for reform that will sharpen the Commonwealth’s impact, strengthen its networks and raise its profile.

“The Eminent Persons Group brings together a diverse group of distinguished representatives from across the Commonwealth,” said the Secretary-General. “I am delighted to have Dr Akwetey on board to complete the membership of the EPG as an 11-member strong group tasked with recommending ways to raise the effectiveness and awareness of the Commonwealth. Dr Akwetey has great insight and experience in democracy and development – the two pillars of the Commonwealth’s work. He will contribute in strengthening the African perspective in the deliberations of the EPG, which is critical, given that a third of the Commonwealth’s member states are in Africa.”

Dr Akwetey said “I am delighted to accept the Secretary-General’s kind invitation to join the EPG. This is truly a great honour, unexpected and perhaps undeserved. I am inspired by the rare opportunity that membership of the EPG offers to me to contribute to advancing the noble cause of the Commonwealth in the 21st Century. Issues such as the credible management of multiparty elections, democratic transitions and human development are passions of mine and also central to the Commonwealth’s cause. I look forward to the EPG’s discussions about how to strengthen the Commonwealth’s impact in these and other important areas.”

Mr Sharma stated that the EPG members are knowledgeable, experienced and renowned Commonwealth citizens who will each have valuable personal contributions to the Group’s recommendations for reform. He said the EPG welcomes ideas and proposals from people across the Commonwealth through an online questionnaire, while also consulting widely themselves in their respective countries and regions.

Background

At its first meeting in London from 19-20 July this year, the EPG discussed:

·     ways and means by which the commitment to Commonwealth values can be honoured more fully in practice;

·     options for the Commonwealth to make an enhanced global contribution as a source of constructive ‘soft power’ in the pursuit of collective global goals;

·     the possible development of new youth programmes as well as the challenges of youth unemployment and access to education, and the empowerment of youth as nation builders;

·     the format and content of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings and Ministerial meetings;

·     options for civil society interaction with government leadership;

·     the scope to promote stronger research, collaboration and technology transfer in support of employment generation and other facets of development;

·     ways in which the profile of the Commonwealth can be strengthened;

·     the consolidation and strengthening of election institutions;

·     the pursuit of strategic partnerships, including with diverse partners outside the Commonwealth, and with consideration to the possibilities offered by the business community;

·     the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan – a longstanding initiative which promotes exchanges between all Commonwealth countries and provides added value in education; and,

·     progress to develop the Commonwealth Partnership Platform Portal as a pan-Commonwealth source of information, best practice, networks, innovative interactions and a marketplace for transactions.

The second meeting of the EPG will take place in London, on 25-26 October 2010.

Note to Editors

The EPG comprises Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Malaysia/Chairperson), Ms

Patricia Francis (Jamaica), Dr Asma Jahangir (Pakistan), Mr Samuel Kavuma (Uganda/Commonwealth Youth Caucus), The Hon Michael Kirby (Australia), Dr Graca Machel (Mozambique), Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind (UK), Sir Ronald Sanders (Guyana), Senator Hugh Segal (Canada), Sir Ieremia Tabai (Kiribati) and Dr Emmanuel Akwetey (Ghana).

For more information on the EPG, please visit http://www.thecommonwealth.org/subhomepage/228488/home/

The online questionnaire is available at http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/228488/228557/how_will_they_consult/

Bio-data of Dr Emmanuel Akwetey

Dr. Emmanuel O. Akwetey, is the founding Executive Director of the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG), one of Ghana’s leading research and advocacy organisation established in 2000. He has a PhD in International Politics and Development from the University of Stockholm, Sweden. Dr Akwetey is an advocate of democratic governance and human development; civic participation in credible management of multi-party elections, political and administrative transitions; and international aid and development effectiveness. He has for more than a decade participated in and facilitated several local, national, regional, continental and global fora on issues pertaining to poverty and inequality, human and institutional capacity development, and African political and economic integration. Dr Akwetey has been widely consulted by the Government of Ghana, the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), the Government of Liberia, UNDP and several bilateral donor agencies The political scientist has also collaborated with the Commonwealth Foundation and the Parliament of Ghana in its work with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Union’s Africa branch. Dr Akwetey has facilitated high-level policy dialogue among civil society, African governments and development partners at the Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the IMF, and at the annual Consultative Group Meetings in Ghana.

For more information, please contact Mr Manoah Esipisu, deputy spokesperson at: m.esipisu@commonwealth.int or telephone number: +44 (0) 7894 462 021.