US appreciates your leadership in West Africa – US Ambassador to Akufo-Addo

The United States Ambassador to the United Nations has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his contribution to the peace and security in the West African Region.

In a meeting with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House last Saturday, Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed her country’s gratitude to the President for his efforts in peacebuilding.

“I have come to express our gratitude to Ghana for your leadership here in the Region, but also for your leadership in the Security Council and the close collaboration that we have been able to forge with your permanent representative in the peace and security challenges that we face every day in the Security Council,” she said.

The US envoy also complemented Ghana’s relationship with the United States over the years, adding: “Ghana has been a stalwart and steadfast partner to the United States and we are very much appreciated the opportunity to work with you.”

She pledged US support to Ghana in tackling security-related issues in West Africa.

On the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US President, the Secretary of State and herself were deeply concerned by the growing crisis caused by the war in Ukraine.

“We believe it’s a war of choice that was made by President Putin, his disproportionate actions in terms of attacks on civilian infrastructure and this war has had a very significant impact on the continent of Africa, including Ghana,” she said

The US envoy said her engagement with some farmers in Tamale in the northern part of Ghana, had exposed her to some of the challenges that farmers faced in the agricultural sector, particularly with the supply of fertilizers, which had exacerbated the food crisis in the country.

“They are not able to access fertilizer and of course, the high price of petrol has had a huge impact on them, and they are planting about 40% of what they planted in the past.”

She said the narrative that the Russians give as the reasons for the food insecurity mainly because of the sanctions imposed on it by the US and the European Union are untrue and unjustifiable.

“We have no sanctions on Russian agricultural products, no sanctions on fertilizers, no sanctions on their wheat and we have indicated that we are prepared to work with them and support the UN Secretary-General’s efforts to find a way to get Ukrainian wheat and Ukrainian fertilizer and Russia fertilizer to the market initiative.”

She expressed concerns about the security situation in Mali and the refusal by authorities in the country to adhere to initiatives aimed at bringing lasting peace to that country.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US government would welcome any suggestions President Akufo-Addo would give to deal with the crisis in Mali.