Switzerland has appointed Thomas Oertle as its ambassador-designate to Ghana, Benin and Togo.
A statement issued by the embassy in Accra on August 14 said Mr Oertle would bring to his new role extensive experience in diplomacy and international cooperation.
It said before his appointment, he served as Switzerland’s Head of Mission in Muscat, responsible for the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Yemen.
He also served as head of the Middle East and North Africa Division of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Bern, and as Deputy Head of Mission and subsequently Chargé d’affaires at the embassy of Switzerland in Damascus, with responsibilities covering Syria and Iraq.
Mr Oertle is not new to the African continent - he previously served as the Regional Head for Swiss International Cooperation in the Horn of Africa, based in Nairobi and covering Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
Before joining the diplomatic service, the statement said, Mr Oertle studied molecular biology and neuroscience at ETH Zurich and the Neuroscience Centre of Zurich, where he obtained a doctorate in natural sciences.
Speaking about his new assignment, Mr Oertle said he looked forward to strengthening Switzerland’s long-standing partnerships with Ghana, Benin and Togo through dialogue and closer engagement across government, business, academia, civil society and culture.
“Diplomacy is ultimately about people. I want to listen to different perspectives, bring people and ideas together, and identify areas where Switzerland and its partners can pursue common interests,” he said.
Switzerland enjoys long-standing and diverse relations with Ghana, Benin and Togo.
These partnerships, the statement said, encompassed political dialogue, trade and investment, economic cooperation, climate action, peace and security, as well as growing exchanges between people and institutions.
It said Switzerland was committed to developing these relationships further based on of mutual respect and shared interests.
