Book on US & Africa Relations Launched in Accra

 Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater (Rtd.) and Honorable Alan Kyerematen

Thursday, April 12, 2018 

ACCRA, GHANA, – Ghana’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Honorable Alan Kyerematen, today launched a commemorative book on US-Africa engagement under President Obama titled United States and Africa Relations: The Obama Presidency. The ceremony was held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.

The publishers – The Africa Society and AMIP News – first launched the book in Washington, D.C. in January 2017. It is a valuable resource that chronicles the Obama Administration’s historic engagement with Africa. Ghanaian-born Frederick and Beryl Nnoma-Addison head AMIP News in Washington, DC. Frederick is the author and compiler and Beryl is the editor-in-chief of the volume. Ambassador (Ret.) Pamela E. Bridgewater wrote the introduction for the book and is the editorial advisor while Ms. Patricia Baine of the Africa Society is the partnerships manager.
Commenting on the book and the Obama presidency, Honorable Kyerematen said, “I believe that the Obama Administration sent a strong signal to us in Africa that it is time for Africa to take its rightful place in the global landscape in terms of economic development.” Honorable Kyeremanten expressed concerns about continued deprivation on the continent, although according to him, “Africa possesses almost 60 percent of the world’s natural resources and a fifth of the world’s forest resource.” He was however optimistic that various initiatives being undertaken by some African leaders will propel the continent’s economic growth.

Kyerematen emphasized that Africans will, “continue to understand and believe in ourselves and work with the United States through initiatives such as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, (AGOA). I believe that we can leverage our mutual benefits and resources for the collective interest of our people,” he added.

Present to support him were former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and The Africa Society’s Board Chair and CEO, Ambassador Pamela E. Bridgewater; Mr. Joe Mensah, President of the American Chamber of Commerce (Ghana); and United States Chargé d’affaires, a.i. Ms. Melinda Tabler-Stone. The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa and friends, Mr. Pakwo Shum and Mr. Chris Edusei; AMIP News; and the American Chamber of Commerce – Ghana (Sponsor) hosted the event.

During her remarks, Ambassador Bridgewater stressed the importance of record keeping. “It is important for us as a people to talk about and record what we do. If we don’t keep an accurate report of what took place, those things will be lost,” she said. She disclosed Ghana was chosen for the Africa launch of the book due to the special relationship the two countries have.


About The Africa Society

The Africa Society, based in Washington, D.C. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. It has a long-standing and warm relationship with Ghana, including the production in 2005 of the documentary film Ghana: The Presidential Tour with Discovery Networks, part of The Presidential Tour Series. This Emmy-nominated series highlighted African countries through an in-depth informational, touristic journey. The Ghana documentary film featured then-president John Agyekum Kufuor. Pamela Bridgewater was the United States Ambassador to Ghana when Delta Airlines included Ghana: The Presidential Tour as an in-flight film option on its New York-Accra route.

Additionally, the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC has been a valued partner and host of The Africa Society’s Ambassador Andrew Young Africa Lecture Series, featuring individuals who have contributed to enhancing U.S.-Africa relations. In August 2014, The Africa Society received the African Diaspora Bridge Builders award from Ambassador Dr. Erieka Bennett on behalf of the Accra-based Diaspora African Forum.

For 16 years, The Africa Society has actively and successfully fulfilled its mission to educate and advocate for Africa through education-based initiatives about the African continent and peoples. Upon assuming duties at The Africa Society in 2017, Ambassador Bridgewater and the Board decided to expand The Africa Society’s education mandate by chronicling programs and policies of U.S. presidential administrations and is pleased to partner with AMIP News on its first volume.

Former leaders of The Africa Society and special friends of Ghana include the late Leonard Robinson, Ambassador Andrew Young (first Board Chair), and Bernadette Paolo. The current president is Patricia Baine. Members of the Board of Directors are Ambassador Sue K. Brown, Mamadou Beye, Dr. Leroy Gross, former Ghanaian Ambassador to the U.S. Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, Malcolmn Pryor, Powell Holly, and Deirdre Powell White.

Teach Africa, The Africa Society’s flagship program, is an innovative Africa-education initiative. The program has presented Africa-education seminars and materials to more than 12,000 students throughout the U.S., as well as trained and oriented over 4,200 administrators and educators. The Teach Africa has reached over 100 million people globally.


About AMIP News

Africa Media-Image Project, Inc. (AMIP) is a U.S.-based, education-oriented, multi-media organization working to bridge the information gap between the United States and African countries. Through its subsidiaries AMIP News (www.amipnewsonline.org) and AMIP Productions, the organization covers and distributes news that is specific to U.S.-Africa relations. AMIP News is the only Washington, D.C.-based media outlet dedicated to U.S. and Africa Relations. It is also and the new publisher of Invest in Africa, an official biannual, premium magazine of the African Union Mission in Washington, DC.

The organization is also responsible for publishing the following commemorative books: The United States & Ghana (2010/2012) and The United States & Nigeria (2010). In 2009, AMIP News covered, produced, and broadcasted a documentary film on Ghana’s President John Kufuor’s state visit to the Bush White House. AMIP uses such innovative media products and publications to correct misinformation about Africa and address media stereotypes. The organization’s operations is overseen by an international board of educators, broadcasters, authors, and Africanists resident in the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Ghana.