President Akufo-Addo (2nd from R) and Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (R) unveiling the plaque. BELOW: The new Foreign Affairs Complex. Pix by Gifty Lawson
President Akufo-Addo has commissioned a newly constructed office complex annex at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra.
Unveiling the office complex at a colourful ceremony yesterday, the President said it “represents a bold statement of (Ghana’s) devotion to fostering diplomacy and enhancing the capacity of our Foreign Service.”
“It will provide the ministry with the facilities it needs to continue shaping and implementing Ghana’s foreign policy effectively. As I cut the ribbon officially to commission this building, let us rededicate ourselves to the service of our nation. Let this new facility inspire greater productivity, innovation, and a renewed sense of purpose,” Akufo-Addo said.
“I am confident that this annex will enhance the ministry’s capacity to deliver on its mandate and, by extension, contribute to the realisation of our collective vision for a prosperous and self-reliant Ghana. May this new chapter in the ministry’s history inspire even greater achievements in the years ahead,” the President further stated.
During his tenure as President, he said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instrumental in advancing (his administration’s) diplomatic successes.
These successes, the President said, included promoting the successful bids to host the Secretariats of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the Climate Vulnerable Forum in Accra and securing Ghana’s two-year tenure on the United Nations Security Council.
Apart from that, he indicated that providing leadership during his two successive terms as Chair of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), amid unprecedented challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, whose effects were exacerbated by the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine war, was also pivotal in the diplomatic successes of that period.
President Akufo-Addo took immense pride in the achievements of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who he said has made history as the first Ghanaian and the first African woman to serve as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations.
“Her journey from serving as my deputy during the Kufuor administration, as one of the longest-serving substantive ministers during my own administration, and becoming one of the most distinguished diplomats of our time is an inspiration to all. It affirms that Ghana’s daughters can reach the highest heights with hard work and determination,” Akufo-Addo said.
Successful Elections
President Akufo-Addo said the 2024 elections has once again affirmed Ghana’s democratic credentials.
This, he said, was evident in the relatively peaceful, fair, and orderly manner in which the December 7, 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections were conducted, consolidating Ghana’s enviable and globally recognised democratic credentials.
The President said, “The peaceful nature of the electoral process and the gracious concession of Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, are powerful reminders that democracy remains the foundation of our progress and national unity.”
“This moment should serve as a symbol of hope for the rest of the African continent, affirming that the will of the people must always prevail,” he said, whilst insisting that Ghana’s “unalloyed commitment to democracy has become a cornerstone of (the country’s) national identity.”
“The successful conduct of the presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday, December 7, 2024 stands as a testament to the resilience of (Ghana’s) democracy,” he insisted.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Secretary-General-elect of the Commonwealth of Nations, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, indicated that the new edifice, financed with funding from the People’s Republic of China, would go a long way toward solving the ministry’s office space challenges in recent years.
She indicated that the “new facility will house 142 office spaces, a basement car park equipped with a transponder access system, a flag room to proudly display the flags of all the countries with which Ghana maintains diplomatic relations, a clinic, a fitness centre, and a press centre seamlessly extending to a banquet hall for three hundred persons.”
“The ministry’s annex building stands as a legacy of the Akufo-Addo administration. It reinforces the government’s commitment to enhancing the ministry’s operational capacity and strengthening our diplomatic engagement.
“This facility symbolises our dedication to fostering international cooperation and will serve as a cornerstone for future diplomatic activities,” Ayorkor Botchwey said.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent