President Gbeho Honoured for Statesmanship (ECOWAS)

30 November 2011
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Economic Community of West African States (Abuja)
press release

Accra - Ghana — The President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency James Victor Gbeho has been honoured for statesmanship and excellence in international diplomacy.

The President was among 109 citizens honoured during the 2011 National Honours Awards ceremony by Ghana's President His Excellency John Evans Atta Mills for their selfless service to nation and society. According to the citation, the President of the ECOWAS Commission was bestowed the country's second highest National Honour, Companion of the Order of the Volta, in "recognition of your sterling display of statesmanship and excellence in international diplomacy."

A seasoned diplomat and former Member of Parliament, President Gbeho has served as Foreign Minister and later policy adviser to Ghana's presidency. He also served in his country's Missions in China, India, Nigeria, New York (UN/USA), Germany, United Kingdom and Geneva (UN/Switzerland) among others. President Gbeho was a member of the United Nations Security Council for 1986 and 1987 during which period he was twice President of the Council.

He also served as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Somalia from 1994 to 1995 and between 1995 and 1996, Special Representative of the Chairman of ECOWAS in Liberia. He assumed the ECOWAS Commission presidency in March 2010, following his unanimous election by the 37th Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the 15-nation regional Organization, to cap an illustrious and distinguished career in public service.

The award citation noted that President Gbeho was instrumental to the peace talks that returned Liberia to normality after a bitter civil war when he inter alia led the ECOWAS Team to negotiate the Status of Forces Agreement with the Government of former President Charles Taylor in 1996. "You also effectively led many Ghanaian delegations to Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, Summit Meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government, Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group Meetings and the Non-Aligned Summit and Ministerial Meetings," the citation affirmed.

It also lauded President Gbeho's "dedication to work and professionalism." A humanist, philanthropist and Pan-Africanist, President Gbeho has brought his exemplary leadership qualities and eloquent track-record of diplomatic prowess to bear in steering the ECOWAS Commission on an irreversible path of people- centred regional integration through proactive initiatives for the realization of the dreams of the founding fathers of the regional Organization. A well-attended ceremony for the conferment of the 2011 National Honours and Awards on President Gbeho and 108 other recipients was held in Accra recently.

Read the original article on Ecowas.

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