Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman has presented the Letters of Credence to the President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, accrediting her as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ghana to Austria.
At the ceremony on September 9, the Ambassador extended greetings and best wishes from John Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana.
She was accompanied by Paul K. Nana Sei Osei, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy.
President Van der Bellen welcomed the Ambassador, congratulated her on her appointment, and assured her of the Austrian government’s support to ensure a successful tour of duty. He also expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between the two countries.
Ambassador Osei-Agyeman, in response, reaffirmed her determination to further strengthen and deepen the traditional close and friendly relations that exist between Ghana and Austria.
She emphasized the need to expand cooperation beyond the political sphere to include the economic front, noting that bilateral trade volumes between the two countries stood at around €40 million last year, a figure she said must be increased.
The Ambassador also briefed the Austrian President on the transformation agenda of President Mahama’s administration, particularly the 24-hour economy policy, which she said would provide significant opportunities for Austrian investors in critical sectors of Ghana’s economy and help reset economic relations between the two nations.
She further noted that the opening of the Austrian Embassy in Accra in 2024 would enhance people-to-people exchanges and expand scholarship opportunities for Ghanaians.
Additionally, she conveyed Ghana’s appreciation to Austria for its support over the years in infrastructure development.
On multilateral issues, Ambassador Osei-Agyeman commended Austria for its candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027–2028 term and assured the country of Ghana’s readiness to share its experiences from its own past tenure on the Council.
Touching on regional matters, she highlighted the leadership role of President John Mahama within ECOWAS, particularly his efforts to engage Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to effectively address security threats in the subregion.