Ghana’s new High Commissioner to Zambia, Dr. William G. M. Brandful organized a media briefing to celebrate the formal commencement of operations on Monday, 15 December, 2008, of the re-opened High Commission of Ghana to Zambia.

Ghana re-opened the High Commission to coincide more or less with the celebration of the 44th anniversary of independence of Zambia. Equally, the re-opening of the High Commission preceded, rather auspiciously, the election of His Excellency Mr. Rupiah B. Banda as the fourth President of Zambia. With these developments, the Government of Ghana is poised to strengthen further, the excellent ties that exist between Ghana and Zambia, going back to the early 60s when Ghana and Zambia first established diplomatic relations at High Commissioner level.

High Commissioner Dr Brandful stressed that under his administration, priority attention will be placed on intensified bi-lateral collaboration especially in the fields of Trade, Tourism promotion, Wildlife exchanges, Mining, Education, as well as in the Social/Health sector.

Before elaborating on the area of provision of Consular services, which traditionally is of core concern to every Diplomatic Mission, the High Commissioner paid tribute to Mr. Eugene Owusu-Agyemang, the out-going Honorary Consul, and his team of dedicated staff, on the able manner in which the Honorary Consulate oversaw the interest of Ghana in the absence of the High Commission. He explained, however, that with the re-establishment and formal commencement of operations of the in-coming High Commission, the Honorary Consulate is deemed to have ceased to exist as at Monday, 15 December, 2008. The High Commission offers a broad range of consular and welfare services to Ghanaians and Zambian nationals alike, including the issuance of visas to the latter group.

The High Commissioner, Dr. William Brandful presented his Credentials to the host President on 23 October, 2008, in the company of his wife, Mrs. Dinah Brandful, and members of staff of the High Commission.