Her Excellency Mrs. Amma A. Twum-Amoah, Ghana’s Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the Africa Union and the Economic Commission for Africa, presented Letters of Credence to the immediate past President of Ethiopia, H.E. Dr. Mulatu Teshome, at a ceremony at the National Palace in Addis Ababa on 17th October, 2018.

The very brief but colourful and impressive ceremony commenced at 10:22am, with the playing of the National Anthems of Ghana and Ethiopia. She was invited to inspect a guard of honour mounted for the occasion by the joint operations department of the Ethiopian Ministry of Defence after which she was escorted by the Master of Ceremonies at the National Palace to the Red Salon (Hall of Ceremonies) to meet the Ethiopian President.

The Ambassador-designate was accompanied by Brigadier General Asamoah Kwaku Yeboa – Defence Advisor, Mr. Gabriel Amankwah – Minister-Counsellor, Ms. Louisa Angela Alomatu – Counsellor, and Mr. John Amankwah – First Secretary/Consular.

After welcoming the Ambassador-designate and her entourage to the National Palace, the Ethiopian President recalled his participation in the funeral of the former United Nations Secretary-General, the late Mr. Kofi Annan in Accra on 13th September 2018 and passionately commended the late Mr. Kofi Annan as an illustrious son of Africa, whose loss was a blow to the entire Continent.

The President then recounted the longstanding relations and shared strong history of Ghana and Ethiopia, a result of which both countries collaborated to ensure the full liberation of Africa. He stressed that after the liberation of Africa, the two countries played a key role in the pan-African movement, which later translated into the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on 25th May, 1963 and now the African Union.

Espousing his commitment to pan-Africanism and the continental integration agenda, the President stressed the need for Ghana and Ethiopia to strengthen their bilateral ties further.

He expressed the desire that together, both countries explore how best they could improve upon their existing bilateral arrangements and also work closely to realise the continent’s development agenda, using the Union’s Agenda 2063 as a springboard.

On bilateral cooperation between both countries, the President indicated Ethiopia’s readiness to work with Ghana reviving her national airline.

Responding to the President’s remarks, H. E. Mrs. Twum-Amoah conveyed the warm regards and felicitations from the President of the Republic of Ghana to his Ethiopian counterpart and expressed appreciation, on behalf of the President, Government and people of Ghana, to the Ethiopian President for personally coming to Ghana to mourn the passing away of the late Mr. Kofi Annan, which was a powerful expression of the strong bond of friendship between our two countries.

She also touched on the role played by Ghanaian soldiers in the Abyssinian war of 1937 and the consequent naming of the Gondar barracks and Asmara Park in Ghana after those Ethiopian towns.

Continuing, the Ghanaian Ambassador informed the President that she had been charged by her President to ensure that during her tour of duty, the bilateral relations between the two countries was further deepened, especially along economic and commercial ties.

The General Framework Agreement signed in 2014 was going to constitute the bedrock on which the two sides would work to strengthen our bilateral ties. She articulated her firm conviction that effective collaboration could lead to improvement in the lot of the peoples of the two countries. She promised take up all issues that needed to be explored for the mutual benefit of both countries.

The Ambassador had earlier on presented her Letters of Notification to the African Union Commission Chairperson and the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on 22nd June 2018 and 21st September 2018, respectively.

H.E. Mrs. Twum-Amoah expressed her commitment to work with the two institutions in the quest for a more integrated, developed, prosperous and better Africa.