US Ambassador commissions WARP offices

Accra, Nov. 18, GNA- Mrs. Mary CarlinYates, United States Ambassador to Ghana has observed that the country has become an important designation for regional conferences and major player in conflict resolution and regional integration in the sub-region.

"These important factors has necessitated the movement of the West Africa Regional Program (WARP) offices to Ghana located in the newly constructed wing on the premises of USAID/Ghana," she said.

Ambassador Yates, who commissioned the new WARP offices said the office, formally in located in Mali was relocated in Accra also because of the easy nature of recruiting staff, availability of English language institutions and cost of operation and most importantly, President J. A Kufuor being the Chairman of ECOWAS and Ghana being headquarters of a number of important regional organizations

The ceremony also marked the occasion of the annual meeting of WARP's Advisory Board, which examines and provides feedback on the quality of WARP's work.

The Ambassador noted that in spite of the relocation the office, WARP would continue to fulfil its obligation by working in both Francophone and Anglophone countries to strengthen regional ties.

WARP is the creation of the United States International Development, its goal is to contribute towards the economic prosperity and political stability of West Africa particularly in countries where regional approach was deemed to be appropriate.

Its work revolve around four key areas such as health with emphasis on HIV/AIDS, economic integration, food security and natural resource management and conflict prevention.

Mrs Yates noted that as part of WARP's fresh responsibility for implementing Special Presidential Initiatives particularly in the area of agricultural productivity, trade and investment, a new Trade Hub had been opened at Osu.

She said WARP had collaborated with important public and private sector regional institutions such as ECOWAS to implement programmes in energy, trade and conflict prevention and the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) on the question of health.

Additionally, WARP has recently developed a working relationship with the West Africa Economic AND Monetary Union (WAEMU) in area of mutual concern and benefit, Mrs. Yates added.