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Four envoys on Tuesday presented their letters of credence to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at separate ceremonies at the Flagstaff House.

They were Mesdames Genevieve A. Kennedy, Ambassador of Liberia; Maria Elisa Teofilo de Luna of Brazil, Alicia Rico Del Pulgar of Spain and Inger Elizabeth Jorgensen Ultvedt of Sweden.

Liberia

In his interaction with Madam Kennedy, who was the first to present her credentials, President Akufo-Addo said relations between Ghana and Liberia predated Ghana’s independence.

He noted that in spite of the odds, relative peace and calm had returned to Liberia and expressed the hope that the current transition process would be smooth to ensure that the path of democratic growth and progress would be sustained.

Madam Kennedy, for her part, congratulated the President on his appointment by the African Union (AU) as its Champion for Gender and Development Initiative because of his diligence in promoting gender parity and the socio-economic development of women and girls.

“It was, therefore, no surprise that your friend and sister, Her Excellency Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia and Africa’s first female Head of State, was compelled to be present at your side when you officially launched the Gender and Development Initiative for Africa,” she noted.

Brazil

When the Brazilian Ambassador, Madam de Luna, took her turn, President Akufo-Addo recounted the strong bonds that had existed between the two countries, especially in the area of sports and evident in the appointment of Brazilian coaches to handle Ghana’s national teams.

He expressed appreciation to the government and the people of Brazil for the support Brazil was providing to Ghana in the areas of agriculture and road construction.

“We want to emulate your country to position ourselves to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves,” he said.

Madam de Luna noted that Ghana had taken off on a smooth path to economic progress, evident in the policy directions and the programmes being implemented by the government.

President Akufo-Addo with Madam Alicia Rico Perez Del Pulgar (left), Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, at the Flagstaff House
President Akufo-Addo with Madam Alicia Rico Perez Del Pulgar (left), Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, at the Flagstaff House
Spain

At the turn of the new Spanish Envoy, Madam Del Pulgar, President Akufo-Addo expressed solidarity with the people of Spain over recent calls for secession by a part of that country.

He was hopeful that the people would find a constitutional solution to the development to ensure that the social and political cohesion Spain had enjoyed over the years was not disturbed.

Madam Del Pulgar, for her part, noted that her tenure had come at a time when Ghana had, more than ever, exuded the vigour and dynamism of a country that knew its destiny and wanted that destiny to be entirely in its own hands.

“The structural reforms and the policies that are being implemented in the framework of the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda will pave the way for a modern economy with a solid productive capacity and good governance,” she said.

President Akufo-Addo receiving the credentials of Madam Inger Elizabeth Jorgensen Ultvedt (right), Swedish Ambassador to Ghana, at the Flagstaff
President Akufo-Addo receiving the credentials of Madam Inger Elizabeth Jorgensen Ultvedt (right), Swedish Ambassador to Ghana, at the Flagstaff
Sweden

On Ghana-Sweden relations, President Akufo-Addo said although relations between the two countries had been good over the years, they could be made better.

He told the new Swedish Ambassador, Madam Ultvedt, that the focus of his government was to create the enabling environment for the private sector to play the frontal role in the transformation of the economy from taxation-based to industry-based.

He said Sweden, with its democratic credentials, was an attractive model for Ghana and stressed the need for the two countries to identify new areas of co-operation that would further enhance relations between them to a new level.

Madam Ultvedt said Sweden would never forget about the tireless and very successful work of a former United Nations Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, adding that Sweden was delighted to be providing funding support for the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), “an important institution here in Accra”.