Accra, Nov. 27, GNA - Mr Amarkai Amarteifio, The Consul General of Sweden and the Dean of the Honorary Consular Corps of Ghana, has been elected Vice- President of the World Federation Consular Corps (FICAC) at the eighth congress of the Organization, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. A statement signed by Mrs Amorkor Stanley-Owusu, a Consular Officer at the Office of the Consulate General of Sweden in Ghana, on Monday, said Mr Amarteifio was jointly nominated by Ghana and Finland and elected by acclamation.

It said Mr Amarteifio, who is the first African to fill that position was elected to the Executive Board of FICAC in 2000 and appointed the Chairman of the Organization's Legal Committee in 2003. The statement said Mr Arnold Foote, the Dean of the Jamaican Consular Corps, was elected the new President of FICAC, following his predecessor Mr Roland Dahlman of Sweden.

Mrs Portia Simpson Miller, Prime Minister of Jamaica congratulated Mr Foote and Mr Amarteifio as well as the other executive board members. She urged the World Federation of Consular Corps to be people oriented in their outlook so as to contribute to the reduction of poverty and the promotion of peace and justice in the world.

"While you balance the books, please balance the people too" she said.

Nine other Consuls were elected to the Executive Board. The next congress would be held in Brazil in 2009.