James Victor Gbeho
James Victor Gbeho (born 12 January 1935, in Keta, Ghana) is a Ghanaian lawyer and diplomat who was President of the ECOWAS Commission from 2010 to 2012, to which position he was unanimously elected at the 37th Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the 15 Member States.[1] He was Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1997 to 2001, under President Jerry Rawlings, and he was the Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency from January 2001 to January 2005. He was subsequently a foreign policy advisor to the government of President John Atta Mills.
Victor Gbeho | |
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President of the ECOWAS Commission | |
In office 18 February 2010 – 1 March 2012 | |
Preceded by | Mohamed Ibn Chambas |
Succeeded by | Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo |
Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
In office 7 January 1997 – 7 January 2001 | |
President | Jerry John Rawlings |
Preceded by | Obed Asamoah |
Succeeded by | Hackman Owusu-Agyeman |
Personal details | |
Born | James Victor Gbeho 12 January 1935 Keta, Ghana |
Political party | National Democratic Congress |
Father | Philip Gbeho |
Before his retirement as a career diplomat and politician, Gbeho worked in the Ghana Foreign and Commonwealth Service and served in various capacities at Ghana's diplomatic missions abroad. His postings included the Ghana missions in China, India, Nigeria, Germany, United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Gbeho was Deputy High Commissioner to the Court of St. James's (UK) from 1972 until 1976, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ghana to the European offices of the United Nations in Geneva (1978–80), with concurrent accreditation to UNIDO in Vienna, Austria,[2] and was Ghana's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York City from 1980 to 1990,[3] concurrently accredited to Cuba, Jamaica, and to Trinidad and Tobago. In July 1994, the UN Secretary-General appointed him as special representative to Somalia.[4] In September 1995 Jerry Rawlings, as chairman of ECOWAS, appointed Gbeho as ECOWAS special representative for Liberia.[5]
He is the son of Philip Gbeho, arranger of the national anthem of Ghana, and the uncle of journalist Komla Dumor.
References
- "Ambassador Victor Gbeho, New President of Ecowas Commission, Assumes Duty", AllAfrica, 12 March 2010.
- Ambassador James Victor Gbeho profile.
- "Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations - Past Ambassadors". United Nations. Archived from the original on 10 May 2009. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
- UNITED NATIONS OPERATION IN SOMALIA II.
- Adekeye Adebajo, Liberia's civil war: Nigeria, ECOMOG, and regional security in West Africa, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2002, pp. 182–3.
External links
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by Kwamena Ahwoi |
Foreign Minister 1997 – 2001 |
Succeeded by Hackman Owusu-Agyeman |
Preceded by Mohamed Ibn Chambas |
President of the ECOWAS Commission 2010–2012 |
Succeeded by Kadré Désiré Ouedraogo |
Parliament of Ghana | ||
Preceded by Squadron Leader Clend M. Sowu |
Member of Parliament for Anlo 2001 – 2005 |
Succeeded by Clement Kofi Humado |
Diplomatic posts | ||
Preceded by Van H. Sekyi |
Permanent Representatives to the United Nations 1980 – 1990 |
Succeeded by George Lamptey |