Ghana's outgoing Ambassador to China honoured

GHANA's outgoing Ambassador to China, Mrs. Helen Mamle Kofi has been honoured by a reputable Chinese/Hong Kong international magazine, Home and Abroad News Press, for her role in the promotion of bilateral, trade and investment, economic, and cultural relationship between Ghana and China.

She was among nine ambassadors who received the annual prestigious award, which was instituted by the magazine 13 years ago, to recognize personalities and institutions that make remarkable contributions to the international society and promote peace in the global community.
 
The magazine, which has been designated as a mainstream media by three United Nations associated organizations has 49 offices across the world and focuses on international cooperation through its publications that carry interviews with foreign personalities to receive feedback on China's relations with its foreign partners.
 
Some Chinese political leaders, including a former Vice Minister of the Chinese People's Party (CPC), Mr. Zang Fan and Mr. Li Shaosheng, the Deputy Director General of the State Council, graced the occasion as keynote speakers as a result of the importance the Chinese government attaches to the awards over the years.
 
Ambassador Mrs. Mamle Kofi stood tall among the recipients as she received the loudest applause when the citation accompanying her award was read.

The citation said "in order to make Ghana one of the top 10 trading partners of China, Ambassador Mamle Kofi selflessly dedicated herself to building close connections with many Chinese cities and made remarkable contributions to enhance the cooperation between Ghana and China in different sectors."
 
"In China, the Embassy of Ghana actively participated in yearly charity activities organized by the Chinese authorities with the proceeds being donated to earthquake victims and the needy."

The citation added that as a result of the Ambassador’s connections with the Chinese investors and business community, China and Ghana's bilateral trade volume reached $5.4 billion in 2013, which was an increase of 86.7 percent from the previous year's figures.

Commenting on the award, Dr. He Wenping, Professor and Director of the African Studies Section of the Institute of West Asian and African Studies who was one of the proponents of Ambassador Mamle Kofi's award, stated that "having participated several times in different workshops and forums in Beijing with Ambassador Kofi making presentations on China-Africa relations, left me and my colleagues great impression".

She added that "being one of the few lady ambassadors in China, your hard work and intelligence will also encourage lady researchers like me".
 
In her address, the President of the Home and Abroad magazine, Ms Yan Wei commended Ambassador Mamle Kofi for working hard to increase the volume of trade between Ghana and China.
 
Responding, Ambassador Mamle Kofi said during her tenure, she consolidated and deepened the already existing cordial relations between Ghana and China.
 
She added that she worked to further strengthen the political, economic, trade and investment, cultural, and bilateral relations between the two countries.
 
China now ranks first in the number of registered projects in Ghana (Foreign Direct Investment) and sixth in the value of registered investments in Ghana.

"Ghana-China trade volume that was around $2.0 billion in 2010 also reached $5.4 billion in 2012, with a 56.60 year-on-year growth, much higher than the average growth rate of the Africa-China trade, which stands at 19.3 per cent".

Ambassador Mamle Kofi said as Ghana's Ambassador to China, she learned about the Chinese culture to strengthen the already existing bond of friendship between the two countries.
 
 "I will be leaving China next weekend at the end of my tour of duty with a deep understanding of the rich culture of this beautiful country and respect for the hardworking people of China", she said.

She thanked the Home and Abroad Press magazine for the special award and expressed the hope that the excellent friendship that existed between Ghana and China since 1960 would continue to grow in the areas of economic, trade and investment, technological, and cultural relations for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

By Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah, Beijing-China