The event held on Thursday 14th December 2023, was a brief but impressive ceremony where the President also had other senior government officials including the Chief of Staff in the Presidency Frema Opare and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.

Mbabazi, who previously served as the Minister of Youth and Culture in Rwanda now becomes the second resident High Commissioner of Rwanda to be appointed to Ghana since the establishment of the mission in Accra in 2020.

Following the presentation of credentials, High Commissioner 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.

“The relationship between Rwanda and Ghana has since this time continued to deepen, collaborating bilaterally and on multilateral fronts to further our shared interests on the continent and beyond.

For close to four years, Rwanda and Ghana have continued to deepen ties with a growing list of agreements and memoranda of understanding which have been signed to build an effective framework for collaboration,” she said.

Expressing commitment to leverage gains to achieve more, she added “I will build on what has been achieved these last four years and 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, High Commissioner Mbabazi solicited Ghana’s collaboration with Rwanda in the continued fight against genocide denial and revisionism.

She also mentioned that after these years, it was 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”.

On his part, President Nana Akufo-Addo congratulated High Commissioner Mbabazi on her appointment and expressed the Government of Ghana’s readiness to cooperate and support the High Commissioner 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 said.

President Nana Aku-Addo hinted that to further enhance the relations between Rwanda and Ghana, a fully-fledged Resident High Commission of Ghana will be opened in Rwanda.

On issues concerning trade, President Akufo-Addo, urged the new Ambassador to explore the trade opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost the economic cooperation between Ghana and Rwanda adding: “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.”