1. The Award
- Name: Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana (OSG).
- Conferred by: President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana.
- Significance: It is one of Ghana’s highest national honours, recognising distinguished statesmanship and global leadership.
- Global Context: This marks the 24th international award received by PM Modi, making him the most decorated Indian leader.
2. Key Highlights of the Visit
- Historical Visit: First visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years.
- Comprehensive Partnership: Both nations elevated bilateral ties to a “Comprehensive Partnership.”
- Economic Goal: Committed to doubling bilateral trade within the next five years.
3. Major Initiatives Announced
- Digital Finance: Introduction of Bharat UPI to enhance Ghana’s digital payment ecosystem.
- Healthcare: Proposed establishment of Jan Aushadhi Kendras to provide affordable generic medicines in Ghana.
- Education: India will double the number of ITEC and ICCR scholarships for Ghanaian students.
- Skill Development: Announcement of a new Skill Development Centre for vocational training of Ghanaian youth.
- Agriculture: Support for the ‘Feed Ghana’ initiative through modern farming techniques.
4. Cultural & Historical Links
- PM Modi dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion people of India and the shared democratic values between the two nations
- The relationship draws from the historical foundation laid by Jawaharlal Nehru and Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.