The mission of the Office of Security Cooperation (OSC) is to promote U.S. foreign policy by enhancing the long-term bilateral defense relationship between Ghana and the United States. We accomplish this by linking U.S. Africa Command theater strategy with the Department of State’s Integrated Country Strategy, in close cooperation with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) leadership.

The OSC is responsible for planning and managing the traditional security assistance programs: International Military Education and Training (IMET) and Foreign Military Financing (FMF). Additionally we compete for multiple Department of State-owned funding sources such as the Global Peace Operations Initiative, Africa Maritime Security Foreign Military Financing, and Africa Military Education Program. We also work closely with the embassy’s Political section to execute African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance training of Ghanaian forces for peace keeping operations.

The OSC also manages several Department of Defense programs, including the DoD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, Counter Narcotics program, Mil to Mil Engagement Program, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Preparedness Programs, and the Counter Terrorism Fellowship Program. We also support exercises such as Obangame Express, Western Accord and Medical Readiness Exercise. The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) in Accra plays a key role in regional military-to-military engagements, hosting numerous events.

The North Dakota National Guard has been actively engaged with the GAF via the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program (SPP) since 2004.

There are currently one U.S. Navy and two U.S. Army officers assigned to the office.