In September 1991, foreign ministers from across Africa, Asia and Latin America arrived in Accra for a major diplomatic meeting. Ghana built them a new venue.
The Accra International Conference Centre, known as AICC, was built to host the tenth ministerial conference of the Non-Aligned Movement, held in Accra from 2 to 7 September 1991.
The Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement was founded during the Cold War by countries that did not want to join either the American-led or the Soviet-led blocs. Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, was one of its early leaders, alongside Nehru of India, Nasser of Egypt, Tito of Yugoslavia and Sukarno of Indonesia.
Hosting the ministerial conference in 1991 was a diplomatic achievement for Ghana under Jerry Rawlings.
The building
The AICC stands near Christiansborg, close to the Ministries and the seat of government. It has several halls with a combined capacity of about 6,000 people. Its centrepiece is a plenary hall with about 1,600 seats, used for major meetings and ceremonies.
What it hosts
Since 1991, the centre has hosted summits of the African Union and ECOWAS, UN meetings, national conferences, church conventions, graduation ceremonies, beauty pageants and concerts. For decades, it was the main indoor venue in Accra for big official events.
Many Ghanaians know it from televised events such as budget debates, national awards and music shows.
Wear and tear
Like many public buildings, the AICC has suffered from years of heavy use and limited maintenance. Officials have spoken about structural concerns and the need for major renovation, and parts of the facility have been closed for works.
Competition
Newer venues, including hotel conference halls and private event centres, now compete with the AICC. Still, few places in Accra match its size and its location near the heart of government.
A Cold War legacy
The world has changed since 1991. The Soviet Union collapsed a few months after the conference, and the Non-Aligned Movement lost much of its purpose. The building it left in Accra has outlived the politics that created it.
Still in use
Graduates in gowns, pageant contestants and diplomats all pass through the same doors. A hall built for foreign ministers debating the Cold War now hosts wedding fairs and gospel concerts, which is perhaps a better use of it.
