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British High Commissioner in Accra Lauds Ghana’s Leading Role in the Sub-Region

British High Commissioner in Accra has lauded Ghana for its leading role and contributions to peace support operations in West Africa.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Mr. Peter Jones

British High Commissioner in Accra, Mr Peter Jones has lauded Ghana for its leading role and contributions to peace support operations in West Africa. He said this during the opening ceremony of a course on “managing defense in a wider security context” in Accra.

The High Commissioner said: “But there is no room for complacency and there can be no let up in the continuous strive for excellence at every level throughout government and the security sector. Our security challenges are increasingly transnational in nature – whether it is the threat from extremism and terrorism in Sahel, or the threat from piracy and other crime in the Gulf of Guinea, we have a shared interest in ensuring that the conditions of stability are well established and reinforced where necessary.”

Mr Jones mentioned that 2013 has been exceptional for the UK-Ghana relationship, adding that “in June, we were delighted to welcome President John Dramani Mahama and his senior Ministerial team to London for a bilateral programme, including meeting Prime Minister David Cameron, as well as engaging with other African and international leaders in the context of the UK’s Presidency of the G8.”

He recalled that last year, several senior UK officials such as the Foreign and Development Secretaries, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, and the Minister of International Security also visited Ghana, which represented an intensification of an already strong and close partnership.

“Ghana matters to us – Ghana is the UK’s third largest market in sub-Sahara Africa and UK exports increased by 20 per cent in 2012. Ghana’s recent history is a living proof of the importance of democracy and the inter-connectedness of democracy, good governance and economic development.”

Published 10 September 2013