Foreign Minister visits Ghana

The Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen is currently visiting Accra in Ghana.

This information was provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Lars Løkke Rasmussen, along with his Nordic colleagues, is scheduled to meet with the Ghanaian Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey. The Danish Foreign Minister will also inaugurate a maritime training facility and visit a cocoa farm.

The Nordic countries have a strong commitment to Africa, and now they are visiting Ghana together. During the visit, the Nordic ministers will meet with a group of young entrepreneurs and discuss opportunities and challenges for the large generation of young Ghanaians.

The Danish Foreign Minister will also visit a cocoa farm. Additionally, during the trip, the Foreign Minister will participate in the opening of a Danish-supported training center that educates Ghana and neighboring countries’ authorities in combating piracy and other maritime crimes.

“The Nordic countries have a unique bond with the African continent, and by speaking with a unified voice from the North, we have a stronger impact. If we combined our economies, we would be able to participate in both the G20 and G10. Therefore, traveling together strengthens our position as potential trade and investment partners. There is a need for our businesses to be more involved on the African continent. This is also one of the focus areas for the government’s forthcoming strategy for increased engagement in Africa, which we will present later in August,” said Lars Løkke Rasmussen, continuing:

“However, we must not forget the difficult security situation that many African countries, including Ghana, are facing. There are still challenges with security in the Gulf of Guinea. Therefore, Denmark has donated a maritime training facility to assist the authorities in Ghana and neighboring countries in becoming better at combating maritime crime, including piracy. As one of the world’s leading maritime nations with over 30 Danish ships sailing in the Gulf of Guinea at any given time, it is also important for Danish trade interests to ensure freedom of navigation in the region.”