Table of Contents
Introduction
I’ve been to Ghana twice both times for work. The first time, I managed to tackle a few solo sightseeing days in Accra, visiting Black Star Square, Accra, Ghana, and exploring the Aburi Botanical Gardens. But my most recent visit was very different it was part of a UK trade mission in Ghana, where I represented the UK in a week-long diplomatic programme focused on energy and African regional cooperation.
However, the most recent time I flew into the airport in Accra, Ghana, on a red-eye flight from Casablanca, landing at 5 am, I was immediately greeted by the thick, warm Ghanaian air. There was no tourist itinerary waiting for me. This trip was part of a diplomatic trade mission in Ghana as part of a UK delegation, and I was there strictly on duty.
This meant no beach days. No market strolls, just back-to-back meetings, and a whole heap of strategic workshops.
This post isn’t your typical MBV travel guide. It’s not even part of my Cooking Travel Talks series. It’s a written behind-the-scenes look at what one of my many diplomatic trade missions really involves, why they matter, and what it’s like to be part of a UK delegation on the ground in Africa.
Related Post: The 5 Best Courses for A Diplomatic or International Career
What Is a Trade Mission and Why Does It Matter?
Trade Missions can be a formal visit by government officials, diplomats, business leaders, and technical experts to promote bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Sometimes these trade missions are designed to open doors for businesses, build cross-border partnerships, share technical expertise, and deepen diplomatic ties between nations.
On this particular Trade missions, we focused on the Energy Transition Playbook:
- Capacity-building: Delivering training sessions for key regulators from 10 African countries.
- Market access: Identifying energy trade barriers and discussing intiatives like the Regulatory Energy Transition Accelrator (RETA) a hub for global energy regulators to share expertise.
- Knowledge exchange: Facilitating workshops on clean energy transition, access, and regional collaboration.
This was about real groundwork, building bridges, sharing experience, and setting the stage for future progress.
What the Week Looked Like
Each day began early, with hotel pickups at 8 am and full-day sessions. The trade mission in Ghana was hosted at a Ghanaian university, where sessions were run like workshops focusing on policy development to regulatory frameworks, and they sparked thoughtful, strategic discussions.
When we had our short breaks and lunchtimes. We used them as opportunities to connect informally. I saw it as a chance to build relationships beyond the meeting room. And although evenings were free, they were often spent catching up on emails, because my other work doesn’t stop. I also used the time to reflect on the day’s insights.
At the end of the week, each country presented their learnings and shared how they planned to implement them. It was so heart warming to see what discussions and sharing can do.
Of course, there were a few moments for rest, going to the gym, dinners with colleagues and local dishes that reminded me why I love West African food.
Reflections on Diplomatic Work
And it’s one thing I want to stress. Diplomacy isn’t always glamorous. I know it does look like that in the movies and Netflix shows your watch LOL!
It’s long days, early starts. But it’s also incredibly rewarding. And I have been working towards this career since I did my first degree in International Politics at Kings College London.
To sit in a room with regulators from 10 countries, exchanging strategies and ideas. That’s the work that drives change and is super insightful to me. As a Black British woman in diplomacy, I carry not just my professional mandate, but a personal one too: to lead boldly and create space for others who look like me.
Representation matters to me. And this mission reminded me why I do what I do.
Final Views
This trade mission in Ghana reminded me why I chose this path. Was this trip to Ghana worth writing about? Absolutely.
I met people doing incredible work across the continent. I learnt about the different ways countries manage energy, regulation, and transition. And I contributed to something bigger than myself. Because travel isn’t always leisure. Sometimes, it’s duty. And within that duty, there is deep purpose.
If you’re curious about diplomacy, development, and how international policy works in practice, this series is for you. I also offer a Global Strategy Chat: 1:1 Session, where we can talk about building a global career or showing up confidently online.
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Speak soon,
MBV x
