Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey flanked by other dignitaries during the visit
During a five (5) day visit to Lebanon from 7th to 11th August, 2023, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, together with Ghana’s Consul General to Lebanon Mr. Ali Samih Jaafar paid a courtesy call on the Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr Mostafa Bayram, Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Joseph Auon, Mr Elias Baysari, the Head of General Security, Mr Tony Saliba, the Head of State Security, Mr. Maurice Sleem, the Chief of Defence Staff, Mr Najib Mikati, Minister of Labour, President of the the Free Patriot& former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gebran Basil and the Chairman of the Lebanon-Ghana Friendship Committee, Mr. Ghassan Attallah to discuss cooperation between both countries and the welfare of Ghanaian migrant workers domiciled in Lebanon.
On their part, the relevant Lebanese authorities expressed their desire and readiness to collaborate with Ghanaian agencies through the Ghana Consulate in Lebanon to draw up appropriate framework to promote trade, tourism and medical exchange programs between both countries medical infrastructures.
As part of the visit, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, visited the Ghanaian Battalion at the United Nations Interim Force Headquarters in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to reiterate government’s commitment to their welfare and encouraged them to continue raising the flag of Ghana high through their service in UNIFIL.
She stated that since the inception of UNIFIL, the Ghanaian contingent had carried out operational and humanitarian activities, such as conducting patrols along the blue line, social donations, health outreaches, capacity building in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and other governmental institutions.
The Commanding Officer of GhanaBatt 89, Lt Col Kwarteng, briefed the Minister on the status of operations and indicated that despite some recent incidents, the battalion is carrying out its duties with high professionalism to ensure peace within the operational area.
Madam Botchwey expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Ghana battalion for their dedicated service to the Mission and encouraged them to maintain the high sense of commitment and dedication to duty.
To this end, the Foreign Minister, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey also commended Mr Ali Samih Jaafar, the Consul General to Lebanon, for his continuous support to the welfare of Ghanaians expressed the hope that he would continue to work towards establishing business opportunities between Ghana and Lebanon.
