Ghana, Korea deepen tourism, culture and creative arts partnership with US$4.5m support

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has disclosed that Ghana’s partnership with the Republic of Korea includes a five-year commitment with financial support of approximately US$4.5 million to strengthen cooperation in tourism, culture and the creative arts.

She described the partnership as a significant component of the Ministry’s work and expressed deep appreciation to the Korean Government and people for the substantial financial and technical support extended to Ghana.

Hon. Gomashie said the long-term partnership presented an important opportunity for Ghana to build sustainable capacity, strengthen institutions and deepen cooperation across the tourism, culture and creative arts sector.

She made the remarks during an engagement with the visiting Korean National Commission for UNESCO delegation, where she expressed gratitude for the warm reception accorded the Ghanaian delegation during its recent visit to Korea, as well as the professional training provided for Ghanaian officials and participants from other African countries.

She also highlighted the recent training programme for site managers, which concluded about two weeks ago, describing it as an important component of the Korea-Ghana cooperation aimed at strengthening the professional capacity of personnel responsible for the management and preservation of Ghana’s heritage sites. She said the knowledge and practical experience gained through the programme would contribute to improved site management, preservation and presentation of Ghana’s cultural heritage for both local and international visitors.

The Minister described the recent visit and training programmes as some of the most positive developments for the Ministry in recent months, stressing the importance of translating the experience into stronger institutional and professional capacity in Ghana.

She said the Korea-Ghana partnership had featured prominently in the recent “Meet the Press Series” presentation she made at the Presidency on the Ministry’s mandate, activities and achievements since assuming office.

According to her, the level of support from Korea demonstrated the strength of the relationship between the two countries and was a commitment Ghana did not take for granted.

On behalf of the President and the people of Ghana, Hon. Gomashie expressed appreciation to the President and people of Korea for their friendship, continued support and commitment to Ghana’s development.

She further called for cultural exchange to become an integral part of the Korea-Ghana engagement, stressing that cooperation should go beyond formal training and technical expertise.

The Minister said Ghana could learn from Korea by observing its culture, values, discipline and work ethic, just as Korea could benefit from Ghana’s rich cultural heritage and creative traditions.

She particularly cited Korean punctuality and respect for time as important cultural values that Ghana could learn from, noting that development was not driven only by financial resources and technical expertise but also by discipline, attitudes and a commitment to excellence.

“Learning does not only take place in formal classrooms,” she said, encouraging the Korean delegation to share aspects of Korean culture and societal practices that had contributed to the country’s development.

Hon. Gomashie reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to deepening the partnership and ensuring that the five-year cooperation produced meaningful and sustainable outcomes for the tourism, culture and creative arts sector and the wider Ghanaian economy.

The Korean delegation, led by Jinsung Jeon of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, expressed their appreciation for the warm reception accorded them in Ghana and thanked the Minister for the cordial welcome.