His Excellency Mr. Annan Arkyin Cato, Ghana’s new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom has presented his credentials to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

High Commissioner Cato, adorned in a splendid “emmada” kente cloth was escorted to the Buckingham Palace in a convoy of two horse-drawn carriages by Sir Anthony Figgis, Her Majesty’s Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps.

Ghana’s envoy was accompanied to the Palace by Mr Adolphus Arthur, Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Morgan Brown, Minister, Head of Chancery, Brigadier-General Richard Debrah , Defence Advisor and Mr. Charles Wereko, Counsellor Information of the Ghana High Commission in London.

The High Commissioner’s colourful convoy was mobbed by a large number of sightseers and tourists who had gathered at the Palace gates to watch the changing of the guard.

Speaking at the ceremony, Queen Elizabeth underscored the need to forge and nurture stronger bonds of friendship amongst Commonwealth countries and wished Ghana’s new envoy to the Court of St. James’ a successful tenure of office.

On his part the High Commissioner said he would work fervently to build on the already excellent relations between Ghana and the UK as well as the development of the Ghanaian community in the UK. Present at the ceremony was Hon Michael Jay, the Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Head of Diplomatic Services.

The High Commissioner hosted a vin d’honneur for some leaders of the Ghanaian community in the UK, Heads of Departments of the High Commission and representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, after the presentation ceremony. Hon Minister of Defence, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, who is presently on an official visit to the UK, also attended the event.

His Excellency Annan Cato, a distinguished diplomat and the immediate past Secretary to the Cabinet assumed duty as Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK on June 27th, 2006. High Commissioner Cato is also accredited to the Republic of Ireland.