President Mahama bids farewell to outgoing Australian High Commissioner.
President John Dramani Mahama has bidden farewell to Australia’s outgoing High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Berenice Owen-Jones marking the end of her four-year tenure in the country.
At the farewell ceremony, President Mahama disclosed that Ghana has reopened its mission in Australia, restoring reciprocal diplomatic representation between the two countries.
He explained that Ghana had been compelled to close its mission in Australia in the early 1980s due to a severe economic downturn, and that Australia had since reopened its own High Commission in Ghana.
“I have just been informed that Ghana has already reopened its mission in Australia, and I am pleased that both countries now have active diplomatic missions once again,” he said.
President Mahama said Ghana and Australia share longstanding historical ties dating back to independence, when Australia was among the first countries to recognise Ghana as a sovereign nation.
He said the two countries continue to hold common democratic values as members of the Commonwealth and frequently take similar positions on United Nations resolutions.
Turning to the mining sector, President Mahama said Australian companies have made valuable investments in Ghana’s extractive industry, and identified two priorities for deeper cooperation going forward.
“The first is increasing value addition to Ghana’s mineral resources instead of exporting raw minerals,” he said, adding that the second priority was technology transfer to strengthen local expertise and build Ghanaian capacity within the mining industry.
He noted, however, that bilateral trade between the two countries remained below its potential.
“When I reviewed the trade figures, I had expected them to be much higher. Currently, trade between Ghana and Australia is valued at less than US$100 million, consisting largely of mining equipment, spare parts and related products,” he said, expressing confidence that there was far greater room for expansion.
President Mahama said Government’s approach to international partnerships was increasingly centred on trade and investment rather than dependence on grants and loans, as part of efforts to strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation and reduce reliance on external assistance.
He said the relationship with Australia, anchored largely on mining investment, offered an excellent platform for stronger cooperation in the years ahead, including in agriculture and agro-processing.
On her part, the outgoing High Commissioner noted that Ghana was the anchor of Australia’s engagement in West Africa, saying the relationship had strengthened significantly over her four years in the country, particularly in mining, agriculture, education and investment.
She disclosed that Australian investment across West Africa was valued at approximately US$40 billion, with 22 companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange operating in Ghana.
She also mentioned the establishment of a new office of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research at the High Commission during her tenure, focused on strengthening partnerships with universities and research institutions on climate resilience and food security.
She said the people-to-people relationship between the two countries remained strong, noting that approximately 10,000 Ghanaians now call Australia home.
The High Commissioner further commended Ghana’s leadership in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area and its role in promoting regional stability, and cited the country’s advocacy on reparations as a demonstration of its growing influence in multilateral forums.
Before concluding her remarks, she extended condolences to the government and people of Ghana over the recent floods, saying she was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and the destruction caused by the disaster.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
