Rwanda's High Commissioner to Ghana Rosemary Mbabazi on Thursday, December 14, 2023, presented her letters of credence to Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in the capital Accra. Mbabazi, who previously served as the Minister of Youth and Culture until March 2023, becomes the second resident High Commissioner of Rwanda to Ghana. She replaced Aissa Kirabo Kacyira, who had headed the Rwandan mission in Accra since its establishment in 2020. Mbabazi conveyed warm wishes from President Paul Kagame to the government and people of Ghana and expressed the desire of the Government of Rwanda to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, according to a statement from the High Commission. “The relationship between Rwanda and Ghana has since [2020] continued to deepen, with the two countries collaborating bilaterally and on multilateral fronts to further our shared interests on the continent and beyond, she was quoted as saying. “For close to four years, Rwanda and Ghana have continued to deepen ties with a growing list of agreements and memorandums of understanding which have been signed to build an effective framework for collaboration,” she said. Mbabazi promise to build on what has been achieved to achieve more in the relations. I am assured that with your support and in collaboration with the good people of Ghana, we will further this mission and contribute to the continued rise of a prosperous and self-reliant Africa through south-south cooperation.” Highlighting the upcoming commemoration of 30 years since the end of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Mbabazi solicited Ghana’s collaboration with Rwanda in the continued fight against genocide denial and revisionism. She saw it unfortunate that there are still many fugitives who are still “roaming freely in Africa and globally. We count on your collaboration to bring them to book, she said. ALSO READ: Where are the 1,100 Genocide fugitives? President Akufo-Addo congratulated Mbabazi on her appointment and assured her of Ghana's cooperation and support she would need to achieve her mandate. “I wish to assure that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the team at the Presidency are all at your disposal to support and facilitate wherever you need assistance so that your tour of duty is a successful one,” he was quoted as saying. The President that to further enhance the relations between Rwanda and Ghana, a fully-fledged Resident High Commission of Ghana will be opened in Rwanda. On matters of trade, President Akufo-Addo, urged Mbabazi to explore opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost the economic cooperation between Ghana and Rwanda. “Rwanda and Ghana worked closely to support the operationalization of the Continental Free Trade Area Agreement and I assure you that this work will continue in order to open up trade and free movement of people for the prosperity of our continent.”
