The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has inaugurated a new international desk aimed at addressing the evolving geopolitical dynamics in West and Central Africa.

The initiative is designed to critically examine the growing influence of foreign powers on African politics, economies, and societies, while advocating for a more united and strategic African response to these external pressures.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Kojo Pumpuni Asante, Director of Policy Engagement and Partnerships at CDD-Ghana, noted that the new desk offers a timely platform to reflect on the rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape in the region and its broader implications.

“This is an opportunity for us to better understand the forces shaping our sub-region and to begin thinking more proactively about Africa’s place in the global order,” Dr. Asante said.

Ghana’s Special Envoy to the Alliance of Sahel States, Ambassador Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, also addressed the gathering, calling on West African nations to assert their sovereignty in the face of intensifying global competition for influence over the region’s security and development priorities.

“Our nations must speak with one voice, define our interests, and resist being used as pawns in the strategic games of global powers,” he stressed.

The launch of the international desk signals CDD-Ghana’s commitment to fostering informed dialogue and coordinated action on issues of foreign influence and regional autonomy in Africa.