Israel posts Ambassador to Ghana after 30 years

Accra, Sept. 8, GNA - Steps taken by the State of Israel to revive her diplomatic relations with Ghana was on Thursday sealed with the posting of an ambassador to Ghana for the first time after three decades.

Ms Sharon Bar-Li, the incoming envoy, presented her Letters of Credence from Israeli President Simon Perez, to President John Evans Atta Mills at the Osu Castle in Accra, with the two nations promising to enhance their bilateral relations.


"Congratulations on your appointment. We are extremely delighted at last that Israel has opened an Embassy in Ghana, and you have been appointed as the first ambassador.


"Be assured of our fullest co-operation and collaboration," President Mills said.


President Mills observed that Ghana had a lot to learn from Israel for its track record, and that the two nations would collaborate and learn from each other for their mutual benefits.


President Mills urged the Ambassador to feel free to contact Ghana's officials to explore common areas of interest.

Ms Bar-Li praised Ghana on her sound democratic credentials, adding that Ghana and Israel had a shared history, and had walked the same path in many areas making much efforts to build their economic and governance structures.


She noted that Ghana was the first African country with which Israel established democratic relations.


Both nations, she noted, had been engaged in independence struggles and the pursuit of security for their peoples.


She assured President Mills of the cooperation of her country. Five other envoys accredited to Ghana also presented their Letters of Credence to President Mills.


They were Mr Maheyoub Buyema Mahafud from the Sarahawi Arab Republic; Mrs Irene Gala from Brazil, Mr Manop Merkprayoonthnog, from Thailand, Mr Carsen Pederson from Denmark and Mrs Maria Patan from Argentina.

President Mills expressed Ghana's appreciation to the countries being represented for their development assistance and co-operation, noting particularly that of Denmark through the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA).


"Denmark is one of our biggest Development Partners," President Mills noted, adding 93we are extremely grateful for their understanding of the issues confronting us."


On Brazil, President Mills said the two nations had very strong bonds of co-operation, and describing Brazil as a role model, the President said: "We want to find out how Brazil did it."


President Mills noted that Brazil had taken some bold initiatives that had helped her to attain development, and that Government was also taking similar initiatives to help build a Better Ghana.


President Mills expressed the gratitude of Accra to Sao Paolo for that country's assistance in the development of infrastructure, agriculture and military hardware.

Ghana, he said, would reciprocate the gesture so that the cooperation would be mutually beneficial.


President Mills praised Argentina for the development of her agriculture and livestock.


"It is only through cooperation that we'll be able to derive advantage from each other," President Mills said.