Cultural Diplomacy as a Tool For Enhancing Bilateral Relations Between Ghana and The Netherlands
By H.E. Mr. Francis Danti Kotia, Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana to the Kingdom of the Netherlands
As Ghana attained its 68th Independence Anniversary in March 2025, it is important to take stock of Ghana-Netherlands relations and to preview areas of future focused cooperation between the two Countries. Ghana’s relations with the Netherlands dates as far back as 1593 when the first Dutchman Bernard Ericzoon set foot on Ghanaian soil. At the time the Dutch were amongst a group of European explorers who had sailed to the coast of Africa in search of resources that will interestingly finance the all-important movement that came to be known as the Renaissance in Europe. Ghana then known as the Gold Coast was endowed with a bountiful supply of Gold which gave Dutch explorers a reason to mark their territory in West Africa by putting up forts and dungeons in Elmina to consolidate their military position in a strategically lucrative part of the African continent.
These forts will later be used as the assembly point for enslaved Africans who were to be transported to the new world as commodities in what came to be known as the Transatlantic Slave trade. Over the years, the commercial relations between Ghana and the Netherlands have evolved from an aura of darkness and shame to a stage of equity, fairness, mutual benefit undergirded by humanitarian principles. Although Ghana closed down its Mission in the Hague from 1982 to 1997 due mainly to resource constrains, nevertheless, the Netherlands maintained its Embassy in Accra at the level of a Chargé d’affaires until 1991 when it was upgraded to the Ambassadorial level.
Over the years, the scope of cooperation between Ghana and the Netherlands has grown in leaps and bounds and still experiencing satisfactory expansion in all aspects of the relationship. The major sectors in Ghana that are beneficiaries of Dutch support are in the domain of health, transportation, water and sanitation as well as agriculture. Ghana indeed has been one of the Netherlands’ development partners since 1998 with cooperation concentrating on areas of mutual interest to both countries. Nonetheless, the developmental assistance lately is undergoing a transformation that places more emphasis on trade instead of aid. A paradigm shift in policy which suits Ghana’s attempt to advance through investments and reciprocal free trade predicated on the export of finished products and the structural development of the local economy through the transfer of technology and technical expertise.
It is therefore refreshing to note, that the Netherlands has now become the second destination of Ghana’s exports to Europe. As encouraging as that economic development is, there is certainly room for improvement which is why it has become imperative to explore numerous avenues that can serve as a stimulus of commercial exchange between two very friendly countries.
The Netherlands Africa Business Council (NABC) has been one of the institutions that continue to create the right platform for entrepreneurs interested in doing business in Ghana. Its counterpart in Ghana, is the Ghana and Netherlands Business and Culture Council (GNBCC) which represents business interests of both Ghanaian and Dutch companies. GNBCC not only facilitates and supports businesses between Ghana and the Netherlands but also fosters cultural understanding between the people of the two countries.
In an attempt to make culture one of the mainstays of bilateral ties between Ghana and the Netherlands, the Ghana Mission in the Hague intends to embark upon a series of activities and programmes that will showcase cultural diplomacy as a solid platform for marketing Ghanaian businesses and entrepreneurs in the host country. It is a tool that is likely to be effective as a basis for drawing the two countries together because even though prima facie Dutch culture appears to have little in common with the Ghanaian way of life the narratives of Ghanaian migrants to the Netherlands seems to suggest otherwise.
Not only have Ghanaians integrated seamlessly into Dutch society, but the ability of second and third generation Ghanaians born in the Netherlands to successfully form a familiar identity by merging cultural values from both sides of their heritage illustrates that the two countries have a lot in common. A visit to any Ghanaian restaurant in Amsterdam or any part of the Netherlands will have both Dutch and African customers patronizing Ghanaian food. Jollof Rice, Yam or Apim and Palava Sauce, or Banku and Tilapia, ripened Fried plantains and Beans stew (known in Ghanaian parlance as Red Red) are not necessarily alien to the palate of Dutch consumers.
The exploits of Ghanaian footballers in the Netherlands have also played a major role in the cultural integration that currently defines bilateral relations between the two countries. Footballers of Ghanaian heritage such as Memphis Depay, Jeremie Frimpong and Brian Brobbey have excelled not only in the Dutch Eredivisie but have also climbed the sporting ladder to represent the Netherlands at the national level in global tournaments such as the World Cup and the European Nations League. These remarkable exploits chalked by these renowned sportsmen have added to the visibility of Ghana within Dutch households contributing in no small measure to the aura of inclusivity and diversity which have become part and parcel of the Dutch society.
The reputation of Ghanaian migrants in the Netherlands remains resplendent, devoid of notoriety and controversy. Immigrants from Ghana are noted for their sense of discipline, hardwork, spirituality and communality. Their offspring and descendants currently identify not only as high-profile sportsmen but as legal practitioners, medical doctors, entertainers and law-abiding citizens contributing meaningfully and positively towards the upward mobility of Dutch society. The good deeds of the Ghanaian Diaspora in the Netherlands have given Ghana a good name and turned the country into a good brand within the annals of Dutch society which can be exploited for the mutual benefit of the two countries. The fact that the Ghana brand is well received in the Netherlands means that our commodities and exports have a comparative advantage on the local market.
The successful cultural synthesis that has been demonstrated by the Ghana community residing in the Netherlands must inform the basis for using culture as a tool for bringing the Netherlands and Ghana closer together. Furthermore, the beatific fusion of Ghanaian and Dutch culture means that, the populations of both countries have a mutual appreciation for hard work, discipline, peace and tranquillity, communal living, honesty, generosity, good food, sports and a solid commitment to God.
This natural cosmopolitan blend of Ghanaian and Dutch customs and traditions must necessarily find expression in the political ties that bind the two countries together. It is for this reason that, the Ghana Embassy in the Hague in the coming weeks and months intends to leverage on the existing rapport between the peoples of the two countries to stage Film Festivals, Food Fairs, Musical Concerts and Fashion Shows to generate more publicity for Ghana as a national brand in the Netherlands.
Cultural Diplomacy has been described as an extension of public diplomacy which relies on the exchange of ideas, information, art, language and other aspects of culture to foster cordial and friendly relations between states and their peoples. Ghanaians and their Dutch counterpart have found an organic way of coming together. It is now for our governments to use this synergy as a platform for further promoting tourism, trade, commerce and multilateral cooperation.
The forts and castles which form part of the Netherlands’ colonial legacy in Ghana must give Dutch scholars and academics a reason to travel to Ghana to learn more about their nation and the historical underpinnings which tie their ancestors to Africa. The ability to convert a dark ancient colonial relic into a monument or vehicle for postmodern commercial growth can only be attained through the creative use of cultural diplomacy as a basis for progressive exchange between Ghana and the Netherlands.
