Ruto Bids Farewell to Ambassador

President William Ruto hosted a farewell event at the State House in Nairobi for Ghana’s High Commissioner to Kenya, His Excellency Damptey Bediako Asare, marking the end of his diplomatic tour of duty in Nairobi.
President Ruto, at the event on on Tuesday, August 26,  emphasised the collaborative nature of the relationship between the two countries, noting their joint efforts on regional and continental issues.
“Kenya-Ghana diplomatic relations are strong, cordial and dynamic, dating back to the pre-independence days and the enduring partnership between the founding fathers of our two nations,” he said.
He also spoke of the growth in trade, investment and cultural exchanges that have flourished during the ambassador’s time in office, and highlighted the importance of the memoranda of understanding signed by Nairobi and Accra during Asake’s tenure.
“Ties between our two peoples have been boosted by five State Visits on both sides, and the expanding air links through Kenya Airways and the advanced plans to make Accra our airline’s hub in West Africa.”
“Our cooperation in trade and investment, tourism, education, and science and technology, among others, is underwritten by various memoranda of understanding,” Ruto added.
Ambassador Asare’s departure closes a chapter that began in September 2021 when he officially took up his post.
He presented his Letters of Credence to then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, as he embarked on a mission that also saw him accredited to Uganda, Burundi, and Tanzania.
His presence in Nairobi was particularly significant as he also served as Ghana’s Permanent Representative to both the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), both headquartered in Nairobi.
Ambassador Asare is set to formally leave his post in the coming days, officially concluding his time in Kenya. While no formal announcement has been made, the new envoy is likely to be named in the coming months.
Asare’s departure coincides with that ofNeil Wigan, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, who has also announced that he is set to leave at the end of August.
Wigan, who took on the role in 2023, is set to leave and take up a new position as Director General of Strategy and Delivery at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London.
“I am extremely sorry to be leaving Kenya after a whirlwind two years. The Kenya-UK partnership has gone from strength to strength – whether in trade, investment, technology, innovation or cultural links, benefiting both countries and peoples,” he stated.
He added that during his 2-year tenure, he signed a lot of Kenya-UK strategic partnerships.