Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela announced that Malta will open a High Commission in Ghana. This will be the first diplomatic representation that the Government of Malta is opening in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Diplomatic relations between Malta and Ghana were established on 27 February 1974 and have grown from strength to strength over the years. In August 2014, Ghana was the first Sub-Saharan African country to open a diplomatic mission in Malta. Relations were further amplified during the state visit by the President of Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca to the Republic of Ghana from 25 to 28 July 2017, accompanied by the Minister Abela and a strong business delegation comprising of 20 local enterprises representing sectors such as information technology, manufacturing, engineering, consultancy, aviation, education and training, financial services, waste management, logistics, and pharmaceuticals.
During the visit, a Memorandum of Understanding on Bilateral Political Consultations, as well as two commercial Memoranda of Understanding, were signed, one between Trade Malta and the Ghanaian Association of Industries, and the other between the Malta Chamber of Commerce and its Ghanaian counterpart, with the purpose of enhancing relations between Maltese and Ghanaian commercial entities. A decision was also taken at the highest level to convene the Malta-Ghana Joint Commission in order to further advance the cooperation between both countries. This is a clear reflection of the commitment that exists between the governments of both countries to take relations to a higher level.
When considering the potential offered by Ghana in terms of economic cooperation, it is worth noting that the country is ideally situated in the African continent as a business partner, being a developing regional hub for innovation, across West African markets, and a potential gateway to the countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
From an international development perspective, Malta considers Sub-Saharan Africa among its priority regions for the disbursement of its Official Development Aid (ODA). In this regard, the opening of a new High Commission in Ghana will offer added value through the establishment of new contacts through which Malta can further the distribution of its ODA. Malta remains committed to the implementation of the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and to strengthening development cooperation through the EU’s African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) framework. It is worth noting that Malta is closely following discussions on the relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries following the expiry of the Cotonou Agreement in 2020.
As members of the Commonwealth of Nations, Malta and Ghana also cooperate within this forum. Ghana joined the Commonwealth soon after its independence in 1957 and benefits substantially from assistance programmes developed by the Commonwealth. Malta is offering two Commonwealth Scholarships and two scholarships within the Framework of the Joint Valletta Action Plan for Ghanaian and Nigerian students to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Malta.
