Mr. Paul Yaw Essel was born in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He attended Mfantsipim Secondary School, Cape Coast from 1962 to 1969 where he obtained both GCE Ordinary Level and Advanced Level Certificates. He proceeded to the University of Ghana, Legon where he studied English, French and Political Science. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Gen) by the University in 1972.

Prior to his appointment as Foreign Service Officer (FSO) A5 in 1976, Mr. Essel taught French and English Literature at Ghana Secondary School at Dodowa and Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast. Mr. Essel has served in various capacities in different Bureaux of the Ministry. These include Economic Relations Bureau, Middle East and Asia Bureau, Americas, Europe and Inspectorate and Audit Bureaux.

He successfully completed a two-year Master of Arts Degree programme in International Relations at the International Relations Institute in Cameroon from 1978 to 1980. He also attended a four- month programme in International Relations Academy for Social Sciences and Management in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Through dedication and hard work, Mr. Essel rose through the ranks and was promoted to Foreign Service Officer (FSO) A1.
His good interpersonal skills made him an admirable host to a lot of interesting TV programmes including; Talking Point and Search Light from 1983 to 1985.

He also served in various capacities at different Diplomatic Missions of Ghana abroad. Between 1986 to 1990, he served in Ghana's Mission in Brussels as a Counsellor. From 1996 to 2000 he was the Deputy Head of Mission in Conakry, Guinea. His recent post was in New York in the Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations where he served as a Minister. He returned to base in September, 2006 to assume the position of Director of the Finance and Accounts Bureau.

The International Organisations Bureau is responsible for the administration and management of Ghana's membership and participation in various international organisations, in line with the constitutional mandate of the Ministry, that is to promote and protect the interests Ghana, to seek the establishment of a just and equitable international economic and social order, to promote respect for international law, treaty obligations and settlement of international disputes by peaceful means, to adhere to the principles enshrined in the aims and ideals of the Chapter of the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Movement, Group of 77 and other international organisations to which Ghana belongs. It should, however, be mentioned that regional and sub-regional organisations such as the African Union and ECOWAS are handled by the Africa and A.U Bureau.

2. Functions:

The main functions of the IOB include the following:

l Co-ordination of Ghana's role in the UN and its main organs;

l Co-ordination of Ghana's role in the UN Specialised and Intergovernmental Agencies;

l Preparations for Ghana's participation in the meetings of the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement;

l Preparation of letters of accreditation for official Government Delegations attending international conferences and meetings;

l Provision of briefs and speeches for conferences, meetings and
ceremonial occasions, eg, UN Day, Commonwealth Day, etc;

l Ensuring the Ministry’s liaison with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the implementation of Ghana's participation in the programmes of international
organisations;

l Miscellaneous matters relating to international orgaisations and conferences.