President John Mahama on Thursday, 12 June, bade farewell to the outgoing British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, while commending her for her four-year service marked by “positive engagements.”

During the farewell courtesy call, the President lauded the cordial relations between Ghana and the United Kingdom and emphasised the importance of sustaining and deepening bilateral cooperation.

“So far so good,” he remarked of the historic partnership, while calling for more robust economic and trade ties in the face of shifting global dynamics.

President Mahama stressed the need for Ghana and similar developing nations to adapt to a world where traditional development assistance is on the decline.

He noted that such changes necessitate strategic repositioning for growth through partnerships that deliver tangible economic outcomes.

Touching on regional security, the President highlighted the UK’s valuable contributions in the area of counter-terrorism, especially in intelligence sharing and personnel training.

“We appreciate the partnership we have shared in the fight against terrorism. We will continue to rely on the UK for help and cooperation in intelligence gathering and training to prepare ourselves in the event of any attack,” he said.

On regional diplomacy, President Mahama briefed the High Commissioner on his recent engagements with leaders of the Sahel region, namely Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

He reaffirmed his commitment to bridge strained relationships and restore trust among ECOWAS member states.

“I am going to have the opportunity to report to the rest of the ECOWAS leaders on trips I made to the three countries and share some of my perspectives about their grievances and how we can redefine relationships,” he added, ahead of the ECOWAS summit scheduled for Sunday—his first as President since taking office.

Turning to the domestic economy, President Mahama expressed cautious optimism about Ghana’s recovery trajectory, sharing positive indicators from the first quarter of the year.

“The first quarter report on economic performance indicates a GDP growth of 5.3 per cent, inflation has reduced from 23 per cent to 18 per cent since January, and we hope to bring it down to 13 per cent by the end of the year, so that should create some relief for Ghanaians in terms of the cost of living and we will continue to maintain fiscal discipline,” he noted.

He further pointed to renewed investor confidence and a strengthening Cedi as additional signs of economic improvement.

High Commissioner Harriet Thompson, who has concluded her over four-year diplomatic posting in Ghana, expressed gratitude for the strong collaboration she enjoyed with both government and citizens.

She noted the successful rollout of several UK-backed initiatives during her time and praised the enduring ties between the two nations.

Her departure marks the end of a tenure she described as both fulfilling and impactful.

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