Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey opening the embassy in Oslo
Ghana opened a mission in Oslo, Norway, yesterday—the first in the history of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The short but colourful ceremony was held at the new embassy which is located at 1 Akersgater in the centre of Oslo, on the fifth floor of a seven storey building. The location was rented by the Government of Ghana on the basis of a five-year lease agreement.
The facility has a consular section, offices for the head of chancery, political and economic officer, reception, accounts, secretary, conference room and the ambassador’s office.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, stated categorically that “it is a rented property; this is not the property Ghana wanted to buy.”
Government has also acquired a property in Oslo to serve the official residence of the ambassador.
She said the decision to establish the mission in Norway was, among others, to provide welfare and consular services to the almost 3,000 Ghanaian residents in the Scandinavian country and to deepen the bilateral relations between the two countries and to vigorously undertake trade and investment activities to attract foreign direct investment into various sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
The minister was confident that the opening of the mission would further consolidate and heighten the diplomatic, economic, trade and investment ties for the mutual benefit of the people of the two countries.
She, therefore, assured the Norwegian government that arrangement would be made through the embassy to initiate the process for a political dialogue for long-term development co-operation, which is one of Norway’s development policies with partner countries.
Ghana’s Ambassador to Norway, Jennifer Lartey, on behalf of her staff, promised to work assiduously to execute their mandate.
Present at the ceremony was Norway’s Ambassador to Ghana, Gunnar Holm.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Oslo, Norway