Ghana in Search of Regional Integration Agenda 18 committed to the new strategy of letting the individual states commit to integration by getting their people to own the integration process, a new paradigm termed 'people centred'. This approach supported by Ghana seems to have a better chance of success at realising regional integration for Africa. Another approach is through the empowerment of the institutions set up to pursue the integration agenda. Kaplan 36 states that integration needs to be pursued through empowered institutions with the capacity not only to enforce decisions on governments, but to also monitor the activities and performances of these governments, thereby creating a supra-national entity in these institutions. He emphasises the need to organise these institutions at the sub-regional level and then consolidate their achievements into one final integrated entity. 37 Thus the formulation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development(NEPAD) in 2001 which is based on underlying principles of a commitment to good governance, democracy, human rights and conflict resolution is considered a step in the right direction. Ghana's decision to be the first to be subjected to the African Peer Review Mechanism(APRM) which is an instrument designed to monitor adherence to the NEPAD, illustrates its advanced commitment not only to demonstrating its government's transparent democratic approach to governance, but also its commitment to advancing the tenets of regional integration. This decision, of course, can be said to be a precursor to a successful integration process as Ghana's integration is institution based. To further illustrate Ghana's commitment to integration, the 2007 Globalisation Index Rankings has Ghana in the 33 rd position among the 72 countries considered. The Globalisation Index Rankings is a list of countries of the world sorted by their globalisation, global connectivity, integration and interdependence in the economic, social, technological, cultural, political, and ecological spheres. Ghana at this position happens to be the first African country ahead of Senegal(51 st ), Egypt (55 th ), Nigeria(57 th ), South Africa(59 th ) and Kenya(60 th ). 38 Ghana is thus perceived to be readily willing to open herself up for integration and to contribute to the global effort aimed at integration even at the global level. Ghana's current commitment to regional integration also significantly departs from the original position of localizing business investments to attracting foreign direct investment(FDI) into the domestic economy. This commitment has the tendency of enabling the importation of advanced technologies into various sectors to enhance productivity and attain the capacity to compete globally. 36 Kaplan Seth, West African Integration: A new development paradigm? The Washington Quarterly 2005 29:4 pp. 81-97. 37 Ibid 38 http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3995 accessed on 4 th October, 2008.