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Outgoing US Ambassador bids farewell to Ghanaians

The outgoing United States Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Stephanie Sanders Sullivan, has recollected several initiatives that were embarked upon by U.S. and Ghana during her duty tour.

Speaking in a video message, Ms Sullivan said in the last three years, “We put our shoulders to the wheel together, and forged an even stronger partnership between the United States and Ghana.”

She continued: “we invested in people and made a major difference in the lives of thousands of Ghanaians in public health, literacy, clean water, peace and security.”

Ms Sullivan said the US substantially improved Ghana’s energy infrastructure, providing more reliable electricity to hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians.

She added that the US supported Ghana’s COVID-19 response with supplies, equipment, training, and more than 9.6 million life-saving vaccines.

On deepening governance and building institutions, she said, “we worked side by side to ensure regional peace and security – and supported Ghana’s democratic institutions and leadership role in West Africa and beyond.”

Touching on the economic activities and education, Ms Sullivan said the U.S built stronger economic and commercial ties and helped bring American companies to Ghana, creating new jobs, and offered learning opportunities to hundreds of young Ghanaian leaders and entrepreneurs.

She said the diplomatic ties between the two countries were strengthened through people-to-people links and reciprocal visits by American and Ghanaian officials.

Ms Sullivan said she will miss the Ghanaian people and their legendary hospitality, and expressed her profound gratitude to all the people she had met and the friends she made.

“I am thankful for the support we have received from all parts of Ghana. I am profoundly grateful for the wonderful people I’ve met, and the friends I have made.”

Ms Sullivan, an ardent lover of Ghanaian culture, said she would miss the fufu (pounded cassava) and nkate nkwan, (groundnut paste soup) T-Z, also known as tuo zafi, a northern Ghana staple food made from corn.

Having worked in Ghana before her appointment as US Ambassador to Ghana,  Ms Sullivan said coming back to Ghana was a moment of ‘Sankofa’ which literary means to return to something.

The US Ambassador thanked members of her inter-agency team for working in the interest of Ghana and the US.

“I am also grateful to members of my inter-agency team who have worked tirelessly to advance our mutual interest and will remain to continue our important work.”

Of the many things she had learnt and would take back home from Ghana, Ms Sullivan said was the Adinkra symbols.

 “In my time here, I’ve come to value the wisdom of the Adinkra symbols. And I’m reminded of Nkonson-Konson – the chain link- a symbol that we are all connected.”

BY MALIK SULLEMANA

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