President inaugurates new office complex for foreign ministry

 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Re­gional Integration office complex extension.

The edifice, made up of 146 office space, was financed through a grant facility from the govern­ment of the People’s Republic of China and undertaken by Zhangji­ang Group Company Limited.

Apart from having 146 office space, the new building also boast of 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 into a banquet hall for 300 persons.

• (inset) President Akufo-Addo (second from left) being conducted round the expanded facility by Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (right), Minister of

Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration

 Inaugurating the facility in Accra on Monday, President Akufo-Addo said annex would enhance the Ministry’s capacity to deliver on its mandate and by extension contribute to the realisation of the collective vision of a prosperous and self-reliant Ghana.

He also stated that the new facility represented a bold state­ment of the country’s devotion to fostering democracy and enhanc­ing the capacity of her foreign service.

“It will provide the Ministry with the facilities it needs to con­tinue shaping and implementing Ghana’s foreign policy effective­ly,” he emphasised.

President Akufo-Addo further noted that his tenure as the pres­ident had witnessed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs play very instrumental role in advancing the country’s diplomatic successes.

“These include promoting the successful bids to host the secre­tariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Climate Vulnerable Forum here in Accra, securing Ghana’s two-year tenure on the United Nations Security Council, and providing leader­ship during my two successive terms as chair of ECOWAS amid unprecedented challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, whose ef­fects were exacerbated by the con­sequences of the Russia-Ukraine war,” he emphasised.

Moreover, he indicated that each of these achievements reflected Ghana’s commitment to regional stability and global

 collaboration, adding that “I am deeply gratified that Ghana’s full membership of the Or­ganisation Internationale de la Francophonie, OIF, which was successfully advanced by the ministry, has further cemented our position as a bridge between Anglophone and Francophone Africa.”

This, he said, was enhancing Ghana’s influence and deepen­ing partnerships.

President Akufo-Addo outlined that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had spearheaded key initiatives, such as the Accra Initiative, which underscored the vision of a secure and prosper­ous West Africa, aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

“These milestones demon­strate Ghana’s leadership in fostering peace and security, and I am confident we will continue to build on these achievements,” he said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, on her part stated that the new facility was a testament to the dedication of President Akufo-Addo and his adminis­tration to advancing diplomatic efforts and enhancing the coun­try’s governance.

“I would like to express my profound appreciation for the healthy bilateral relations with the People’s Republic of China, which made it possible to agree on the grant of this project,” she said.

BY CLIFF EKUFU