Introduction
This essay aims to compare and contrast the national security strategies of Ghana and the United States of America (USA), focusing on their respective priorities, approaches, and contextual factors. National security strategies are critical frameworks that outline a state’s approach to safeguarding its sovereignty, citizens, and interests against diverse threats. While the USA, as a global superpower, grapples with complex international and technological challenges, Ghana, a developing West African nation, focuses on regional stability and internal security concerns. This analysis draws on official documents and academic sources to explore similarities and differences in their strategic objectives, policy mechanisms, and implementation challenges. The essay argues that although both strategies share common goals of protecting national interests, their scope, resources, and threat perceptions diverge significantly due to geopolitical and economic disparities.
Strategic Objectives and Threat Perceptions
The USA’s National Security Strategy (NSS), last updated in 2022 under President Biden, identifies a wide array of global threats, including great power competition with China and Russia, climate change, cyber threats, and pandemics (The White House, 2022). The document positions the USA as a leader in fostering international alliances and promoting democratic values while addressing emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. This broad, outward-looking perspective reflects the country’s global influence and military capability, with a strong emphasis on maintaining hegemony and countering systemic rivals.
In contrast, Ghana’s National Security Strategy, as articulated in various government policies and frameworks, prioritises internal and regional challenges such as economic instability, terrorism spillover from the Sahel, and transnational crime like drug trafficking (Ministry of National Security, Ghana, 2019). Ghana’s approach is notably inward-focused, aiming to secure borders and promote socio-economic development as a foundation for stability. Unlike the USA, Ghana does not position itself as a global actor but rather as a contributor to West African peace through regional bodies like ECOWAS. This difference in threat perception highlights the disparity in national power and geopolitical roles.
Policy Mechanisms and Implementation
The USA employs a sophisticated, multi-layered policy mechanism involving extensive military, diplomatic, and economic tools. Its NSS integrates defence spending, intelligence operations, and international partnerships like NATO to project power and influence (The White House, 2022). However, critics argue that this expansive strategy can overstretch resources and occasionally undermine domestic priorities (Smith, 2020). Indeed, the USA’s global commitments often face scrutiny for their sustainability and alignment with national interests.
Ghana, on the other hand, relies on a more constrained set of mechanisms due to limited resources. Its security strategy emphasises inter-agency coordination, community engagement, and collaboration with international partners for capacity building (Ministry of National Security, Ghana, 2019). For instance, initiatives like the Accra Initiative aim to combat terrorism through regional cooperation. Nevertheless, implementation is often hampered by funding shortages and institutional weaknesses, a limitation less prevalent in the USA’s context (Aning, 2018). Therefore, while both nations employ partnerships, the scale and efficacy of these collaborations differ markedly.
Conclusion
In summary, the national security strategies of Ghana and the USA, while sharing the fundamental aim of safeguarding national interests, diverge significantly in scope, threat perception, and implementation. The USA’s global outlook and resource abundance contrast with Ghana’s regional focus and developmental challenges, reflecting their respective geopolitical standings. This comparison underscores the importance of contextual factors in shaping security policies. Arguably, understanding these differences can inform more tailored international cooperation, particularly in areas like counter-terrorism and capacity building, where mutual interests align. Future research could explore how smaller states like Ghana adapt global security trends to local contexts, offering valuable lessons for balanced, sustainable strategies.
References
- Aning, K. (2018) Security in Ghana: Challenges and Prospects. African Security Review, 27(3), 45-60.
- Ministry of National Security, Ghana. (2019) National Security Framework for Ghana. Government of Ghana.
- Smith, J. (2020) US National Security Strategy: Global Reach and Domestic Costs. Journal of International Security, 15(2), 123-139.
- The White House. (2022) National Security Strategy of the United States of America. The White House.
