Japanese and Iranian Ambassadors bid farewell as tenure in Ghana concludes

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has extended heartfelt farewell messages to the ambassadors of Japan and Iran as they conclude their diplomatic missions in Ghana. 

At individual farewell ceremonies held at Jubilee House on November 4, the President expressed the nation's gratitude for the pivotal role both envoys played in deepening relations between Ghana and their respective countries.

In a traditional Fugu attire, Ambassador Bijam Gerami Nazoksara, outgoing Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reminisced on his enriching time in Ghana, emphasising his appreciation for the country's cultural diversity.

Ambassador Nazoksara, who commenced his duties in Ghana in September 2022, remarked that he leaves with a profound sense of connection to Ghana’s rich heritage.

Ambassador Mochizuki Hisanobu, Japan’s outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, also shared his reflections. Hisanobu, who initially served in Ghana as Head of Mission from 2009 to 2012 before returning as Ambassador in 2021, congratulated Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, on her recent appointment as Secretary General of the Commonwealth. 

The Ambassador noted that his almost decade-long association with Ghana had forged enduring connections between the two nations.

President Akufo-Addo highlighted the “very warm relations” that Ghana shares with Japan, pointing to the shared aspirations between the two nations, both at bilateral and multilateral levels. 

Addressing relations with Iran, the President noted Ghana’s half-century-long friendship with the Islamic Republic. He expressed hope for a peaceful resolution between Iran and Israel.

He said it has been about half a century of friendly relations between Iran and Ghana and hoped that with the intervention of the United Nations, Iran and Israel will be able to find a way of addressing their common problems in the interest of regional and global peace and stability. 

*Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.*