As part of a comprehensive outreach programme designed by the Ghana Embassy in Mali in conformity with Ghana’s broad foreign policy objectives, His Excellency Major-General C.N.B. Yaache, Ghana’s Ambassador to the Republic of Mali undertook a Consular visit to the Third Region of Mali from 11th June to 13th June, 2007.

The importance of the Consular visit to the Third Region of Mali cannot be over-emphasized. The Region serves as one of the main Agricultural and Commercial centers of Mali. The major Agricultural activities of the region include the cultivation of potato, yam, groundnut, cotton, rice, millet, sweet pea, sweet potatoes, beans and sorghum as well as cattle rearing for exports. Its strategic geographic location has turned, especially, the city of Sikasso into a transit point for people, goods and services within Mali as well as to neighbouring countries such as Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea and Senegal.

The main objectives of the consular tour which took the Ghanaian Ambassador to the principal towns of Sikasso, Oulensebougou, Bougouni and Heremanankono were; to identify consular/welfare needs of his compatriots, to meet and share ideas with Malian Regional and local authorities on the welfare and security of Ghanaian residents in the Region, and to help keep Ghanaian nationals abreast with positive developments back home.

The first leg of the tour of the Ambassador and his delegation comprising the Consul, Mr. Emmanuel Opeku, and some Executive members of the Association of Ghanaians Living in Mali (ASCOGHAM) was to Oulesebougou and Bougouni where the delegation met with the Administrative and Security heads of the towns. The Ambassador appealed to both the local authorities and Ghanaian nationals to deepen the historical, social and political links between Ghana and Mali.

On the next leg of the tour, the Ambassador and his delegation visited Sikasso, the Capital of the Third Region of Mali, located some 390 Kilometers south of Bamako. Whilst in Sikasso, the Ambassador and his delegation paid separate courtesy calls on the Governor, Mayor and Police Commissioner of the Region. All three personalities praised the Ambassador for his decision to visit the town and indicated that they could not recall a visit by a Head of Mission of an African country to the Region. The Ambassador on his part appealed to the host local authorities to continue to provide warm and adequate civil protection and support to Ghanaians as well as Malian nationals in the Region. The Mayor of Sikasso, who is reputed for his kind treatment of foreigners, pledged to assist Ghanaian traders through the requisite procedures to acquire land for the building of a transit warehouse and accommodation for Ghanaian traders transiting the Region.

The last segment of the successful consular tour was the visit to the border town of Heremanankono. Acting on some reports of associated bottlenecks involving the crossing of frontiers by Ghanaian traders and travelers, H.E the Ambassador therefore specifically included this area in his itinerary in order to meet the border personnel with a view to imploring them to ensure safe passage as envisioned by the relevant Ecowas protocols. In this regard, he met the leaders of the Gendarmerie, the Head of the Police Unit at the border, a representative of the Malian Exporters in Ghana, the head of the Malian Customs Unit and the local Chief. During the meeting, the ties between the two countries were underscored and the hosts gave an assurance to ensure that Ghanaian trucks, traders and travelers were well treated and not unduly delayed at the border. Meanwhile, the Ghana Embassy intends to continue to monitor developments in the Region for further assessment.

During the numerous meetings with his compatriots, H.E. Ambassador Major-General C.N.B. Yaache advised them to be hardworking citizens and to ensure that they do not engage in acts, which would tarnish the image of Ghana. He also took the opportunity to inform them of recent developments in Ghana including the Cedi re-denomination exercise. The Ambassador informed them that Ghana was moving forward in its economic and socio-political developments. He further indicated that the recent energy crisis faced by the country was receiving the utmost attention of the government and that the situation would be resolved soon. He also urged the teeming Ghanaians to forge a united front by maintaining strong functional Ghanaian Associations in their localities. Ambassador Yaache in conclusion pointed to the fact that the appointment of H.E. President Kufuor as the Chairman of the African Union (AU), coupled with the hosting of the Accra Summit as well as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Conference also in Accra were all a testimony that the country was once more seen as a forerunner in African development and renaissance.

The leadership of the various Ghanaian communities thanked the Ambassador for not forgetting that there were other Ghanaians living outside Bamako as demonstrated by his consular tours. The Ghanaian Communities in the Region therefore promised to unite and remain committed to the welfare of all Ghanaians.

The Ambassador and his delegation have since returned to Bamako after the fruitful consular tour to the breadbasket Region of Mali.