1. Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ham Sang Wook visited Accra, Ghana, from July 8 to 10. During his visit, he met with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Hon.  Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the Deputy Minister of Finance Hon. John Ampontuah Kumah, and the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat H.E. Wamkele Mene.

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2. In the meeting with the Deputy Minister Ampratwum-Sarpong, both sides discussed Korea-Ghana bilateral relations, trade and investment, and development cooperation, as well as regional affairs including maritime insecurity and piracy issues in the Gulf of Guinea.

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o Deputy Minister Ham extended an invitation to Ghana to participate in the 5th Korea-Africa Forum, which is planned to be held this December in Seoul.

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- The Deputy Minister Ampratwum-Sarpong expressed appreciation for the invitation and stated that it will receive due and favourable consideration. He also called for high-level exchanges between the two countries.

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o Deputy Minister Ham congratulated Ghana on its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2022-2023 and commended the leading role Ghana, the Chair of ECOWAS, is playing in consolidating peace and stability in West Africa as the region’s model democracy.

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o Deputy Minister Ham called for Ghana’s attention and support in creating a favorable business environment for Korean companies in Ghana. In particular, the two sides agreed to resume working-level negotiation for the conclusion of a Bilateral Investment Treaty at the earliest possible time.

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o Both sides shared concern on the recent increase in maritime piracy insecurity and incidents in the Gulf of Guinea and agreed to work together to strengthen maritime security in the region.

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3. After the meeting with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Hon. Ampratwum-Sarpong, Deputy Minister Ham met with the Deputy Minister of Finance Hon. Kumah and the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat H.E. Mene respectively, and discussed how to expand economic and development cooperation as well as ways to promote Korean companies’ foray into Africa through the AfCFTA.

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4. Deputy Minister Ham also attended a brief ceremony at the Ministry of Health to donate medical items from the Korean government to assist Ghana’s fight against COVID-19.

o The Minister of Health Hon. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu attended the ceremony and delivered welcoming remarks, in which he expressed appreciation to the Korean government for providing Ghana with medical equipment and PCR diagnostic kits. 

5. This visit has further deepened Korea-Ghana relations and broadened the base for substantive cooperation with Ghana as well as Korea’s diplomatic horizon towards the African continent through high-level exchanges, which have been stalled by COVID-19.