President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana has appointed Larry Gbevlo-Lartey as Special Envoy to the Sahel States Alliance (AES), with a strengthened focus on regional security and cooperation.
The announcement was made on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, following Mahama’s inauguration on January 7, 2025, in Accra, which was attended by Mali’s President and transitional leader, General Assimi Goïta.
Gbevlo-Lartey, a retired military officer and former national security coordinator of Ghana, assumes this role at a critical juncture.
The AES member states, including Mali, are preparing to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by the end of January 2025, signaling significant geopolitical shifts in the region.
This appointment reflects Ghana’s heightened efforts to deepen collaboration with Mali and other AES nations, particularly in addressing persistent security challenges in the Sahel.
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President Mahama has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to enhancing ties with Mali and emphasized the importance of collective action with AES members to confront the escalating 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 a wealth of experience to this role, building on a distinguished military career that includes advanced training in India, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Cuba.
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His expertise in regional security and counter-terrorism is expected to play a critical role in bolstering Ghana’s diplomatic and security initiatives within the AES framework.
This appointment underscores a broader realignment of alliances in West Africa. It reflects the strategic efforts by AES member states, including Burkina Faso’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who attended Mahama’s inauguration, to reshape their relationships with ECOWAS.
The growing tension between Bola Ahmed Tinubu led ECOWAS and the AES has led to policy shifts, with Ghana moving to strengthen bilateral ties with Mali and other AES nations.
Earlier reports indicated that Mali’s Prime Minister, Major General Abdoulaye Maiga, arrived in Accra with a high-level delegation to deliver a message from Mali’s President of the Transition, Army General Assimi Goita.
(West Africa Weekly)
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