H.E. Virginia E. Palmer, the US ambassador to Ghana, made a courtesy call to Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), the minister of foreign affairs, at the Ministry’s Accra headquarters.
Discussing a number of important issues of shared concern and cooperation between the two countries was the meeting’s main goal.
Throughout the meeting, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa emphasized the significance of tackling common issues and opportunities while reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to deepening relations with the US.
He used the occasion to ask for clarification on a number of urgent issues, most notably the suspension of USAID aid to Ghana by the U.S. government, the possibility of the United States leaving the World Health Organization (WHO), and the situation of Ghanaian nationals in the United States who face deportation.
In response, Ambassador Palmer explained that USAID funding was temporarily suspended for 90 days in order to conduct an operational evaluation of the agency.
She said that she hoped aid would resume after the review was over, albeit with possibly less money.
About 156 illegal Ghanaians may be impacted by U.S. deportation laws, Ambassador Palmer said in response to the Minister’s question about Ghanaian citizens facing deportation from the United States, but she reassured him that none of them were seasoned criminals.
Hon. Ablakwa further pointed out that the implementation of certain public health initiatives, such as the fight against diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria, might be greatly impacted if the United States withdrew from the WHO.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides pledged to keep working together on important issues impacting both countries.
Source: newsthemegh.com