Papa Owusu-Ankomah concludes successful tour of duty of the United Kingdom

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, brings his tour of duty to a distinguished end

Wilberforce Asare September 26, 2020

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Adam Afriyie, Conservative MP for Windsor and UK trade envoy to Ghana (second left), with the UK minister for Africa, James Dundridge, bids the high commissioner farewell in the company of Ghana’s Head of Chancery, Matilda Osei-Agyeman

His Excellency Papa Owusu-Ankomah, High Commissioner of Ghana to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Ireland, has ended his tour of duty successfully. He is returning to Ghana with much experience and enthusiasm to contribute positively to national growth and development in realising the president’s “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda.

Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, welcomes Papa Owusu-Ankomah in 2017 as he presents his credentials at Buckingham Palace

It may be recalled that His Excellency Papa Owusu-Ankomah was one of the first envoys commissioned by President Akufo-Addo to represent Ghana’s interests abroad on the arrival in office of his government in January 2017.

Having been mandated by the president to represent him in the United Kingdom, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Ireland, and to promote Ghana and protect Ghanaians’ interest in his jurisdiction, Owusu-Ankomah has discharged his mandate with distinction.

Owusu-Ankomah, who arrives in Ghana on Saturday 26 September 2020, will leave a void in the United Kingdom, having projected Ghana’s image positively in the UK and Ireland. His tenure culminated in several successful reciprocal VVIP visits between Ghana and the two countries.

Deepened relations

Notable among these was the most recent visit by the President of the Republic of Ghana to the UK, in January. During that visit, together with 22 other African leaders, he participated in the first ever UK-Africa Investment Summit.

His able leadership also led to a visit by the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in November 2018.

These are just two of the high-profile visits he has co-ordinated. The other high-level meetings facilitated by His Excellency Owusu-Ankomah have also helped deepen bilateral relations between Ghana and the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Having notified the diplomatic community in the United Kingdom of his departure, he has been sought by many diplomats wishing to bid him farewell. Given the COVID-19 outbreak, he granted audience to most of the envoys virtually.

The Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, Alistair Harrison CMG CVO, however called in person on His Excellency to bid him farewell and used the opportunity to present to the high commissioner a parting gift from the Queen: a picture of herself and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The marshal had warm words of inspiration for the outgoing high commissioner, speaking of deepened relations between Ghana and the United Kingdom and the excellent work undertaken by Owusu-Ankomah. He wished the high commissioner well in his future endeavours.

The UK Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, Alistair Harrison, presents a parting gift from Queen Elizabeth to His Excellency Papa Owusu-Ankomah

In keeping with usual practice, Owusu-Ankomah also called on the UK’s Minister for Africa, James Dundridge, who represented the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Right Honourable Dominic Raab.

Dundridge spoke of the existing excellent relations between Ghana and the UK. Most recently, he said, these had enjoyed a boost through the effective and prominent role that the high commissioner played during his tenure.

Most importantly, the minister recalled President Akufo-Addos participation in London in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM, held in April 2018) and the UK-Africa Summit of January 2020. He expressed profound gratitude to Owusu-Ankomah for institutionalising his good work based on rich experience. This led to uncountable highlights of his stay in the UK, Dundridge said.

Meets Baroness Scotland

The high commissioner also called on the secretary general for the Commonwealth family, Right Honourable Patricia Scotland, the secretary general of the International Maritime Organisation, Kitack Lim, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the UK, Khaled Abdulaziz al-Duwaisan of Kuwait (GCVO), and the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, Estifanos Habtemariam Ghebreyesus of Eritrea.

The themes running through all his meetings were the excellent working relations and bond of friendship that the leaders enjoyed with His Excellency Owusu-Ankomah. They were of one opinion regarding how effectively His Excellency Owusu-Ankomah projected Ghana in diplomatic circles in London, one of the largest diplomatic communities in the world.

Owusu-Ankomah, for his part, expressed great appreciation for the immense support he received from the diplomatic leaders in discharging his functions, and for the deepening of bilateral and multilateral relations across the 185 diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom during his time in the UK. He stressed that he would be leaving with much experience, having learned many positive lessons and holding fond memories.