Abstrakt
During the Cold War great waterworks became iconic projects which played a crucial role in strategies of economic development of the states of Africa. In contemporary discourse these projects meant a key technological innovation bringing a modernization of society and the environmental changes.
Due to the lack of own experts, finances and technologies, the development of water resources and hydro-energetics depended on import of foreign know-how and money from countries of the global north - either from western countries led by the United States or from states of the eastern bloc led by Soviet Union. This paper will bring a brief insight into Czechoslovakia and Ghana relations between 1960s and 1990s with a main focus on the era of Kwame Nkrumah's presidency (1960-1966).
Special attention will be given to activity of Czechoslovak experts, mainly hydro engineers from the state company Hydroprojekt who were sent to Ghana to help with a development of water resources. Kwame Nkrumah's ambitious economic development plans consisted of large-scale industrialization inspired by Soviet pattern for which enough (hydro) energy was a crucial condition.
Czechoslovakia has been interested in the development of Ghanaian water resources practically since the establishing of diplomatic relations. During bilateral talks this topic resonated repeatedly - even on the highest political levels.
In 1961 the first group of experts from Czechoslovak Hydroprojekt traveled to Ghana with the main goal - find and explore suitable locations for future dams. The paper will also focus on the work of this group.