The deep friendship between the United States of America and Ghana was rekindled on Wednesday when the top brass of Ghanaian society joined the American diplomatic delegation to commemorate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence from British colonial rule at an impressive ceremony in Accra.
The event was attended by a high-powered delegation from government led by the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah and the Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine.
Also present was the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, as well as the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV and other traditional leaders., as well as Members of Parliament, Academics and members of the business community.
The Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy, Rolf Olson, in his address, said the celebration of American independence is also a celebration of the shared story of the two nations.
He recalled how the United States sent a delegation led by Vice President Nixon to Ghana in 1957 when Ghana also won her independence from the British.
He said, “that occasion deepened the United States’ engagement with Africa in a very real and tangible way. Upon his return to Washington, Vice President Nixon reported to President Eisenhower that Africa was a strategically vital region, and that a dedicated policy apparatus was urgently needed. And thus, the very next year, 1958, within the U.S. Department of State, a dedicated Bureau of African Affairs was created for the first time.
He also recalled how President Eisenhower hosted Kwame Nkrumah in the White House in 1958, a year after Ghana’s independence, as well as Ghana being the first country to welcome Peace Corps volunteers in 1961, after they were established by President Kennedy.
He noted that it has often been personal connections that have defined the strong bilateral relationship between the two states.
He cited the example of NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who studied at the University of Ghana as an exchange student about 25 years ago, and recently made history as the first woman to travel beyond low-earth orbit and fly around the Moon as part of Artemis II, exemplifying what’s possible when we harness ingenuity.
He revealed plans to bring her back to visit Ghana next year.
Beyond history, he stated that the partnership between America and Ghana is also economic and tangible.
Ambassador Olson said, “If you drove here tonight, you may have taken the George W. Bush highway, funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation. If you arrived by air, you may have flown United Airlines from Washington, or Delta Airlines from JFK – we recently celebrated Delta’s 20 years of direct flights to Accra. If you shopped online, you may have done so via an American data center or app, even if you didn’t realize it. American products line Ghanaian grocery shelves with the support of importers like the Imperial Group.”
He continued, “our partnership in the American brands that are a part of everyday life, many of which are being served tonight: the KFC and Coca Cola after work; the Burger King with a treat from Pinkberry on the weekend; the Pizza Hut and Budweiser you share with friends to watch a match. And then of course the Marriott and Sheraton hotels where you stay while you’re on the road. These businesses represent real investment, and provide real jobs and real skills. American companies in Ghana employ thousands of Ghanaians.”
He stated that bilateral trade in goods and services between USA and Ghana reached about $4 billion.
To this end, he concluded that “We are natural partners because we share values – a belief in freedom, in education, in entrepreneurship, in justice, and in the dignity of every individual.”
The United States deeply values Ghana’s partnership in confronting shared threats from cybercrime, terrorism, and narcotics trafficking.
Through close cooperation, we continue to hold criminal actors accountable through evidence exchange, investigative support, and the extradition of fugitives,” he said.
With Americans being the larges group of visitors to Ghana, and Ghana being the second largest sender of university students to the US, he contended that, “our partnership extends far beyond governments – it is rooted in the connections between our people. Students, families, businesspeople, artists, and diaspora communities connect each of us every single day.”
“In a world of competing ideas and interests, Ghanaians and Americans are closely connected to each other and driving our partnership forward – toward greater self-sufficiency for the benefit of economic progress and sustainably,” the Charge d’Affaires said.
The Attorney General, Dr Dominic Ayine, an alumnus of the University of Michigan Law School and Stanford University Law School, delivered a message on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He stated that the 250th Anniversary commemoration is a reaffirmation of the peoples of the world’s pursuit of the blessings of liberty and happiness, the values upon which the USA was founded.
He iterated that since Ghana attained her independence in 1957, the two nations have enjoyed a cordial relationship, anchored on cooperation in key areas like health, education, security and law enforcement.
The AG recalled the numerous high-level diplomatic visits by American presidents to Ghana, such as those of Presidents Clinton and Obama, saying, “there is no doubt that these visits remarkably boosted the relations between our two governments and the connections between our people.”
Dr Ayine also extended the collective gratitude of the people of Ghana to the United States Peace Corp and their personnel for their decades of voluntary service in various rural communities around the country, describing their contributions as “invaluable to Ghana’s development as a nation.
According to the AG, Ghana’s political stability, democratic experience, independent judiciary and stable macroeconomic environment provide the basis for the two nations to increase trade and investments.
He welcomed America and its companies to partner with Ghana as she embarks on her journey of industrialization. He also commended the American Embassy for issuing 12,000 visas for Ghanaian students to go study in various American universities last year.
