AMBASSADOR EMPHASIZES US-GHANAIAN PARTNERSHIPS

UNCLAS ACCRA 000839 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PREF KPAO GH SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR EMPHASIZES US-GHANAIAN PARTNERSHIPS DURING FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO WESTERN REGION ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On March 26-29, Ambassador traveled to Ghana's Western Region to meet the Regional Minister, visit USAID-funded projects, observe Peace Corp programs, highlight USG and GOG maritime partnerships, and discuss refugee, Amcit, economic, and political issues with local contacts. The Western Region is home to a plethora of natural resources including palm oil, rubber, gold and cocoa. Although there are some human rights problems in the mining communities and the region continues to struggle economically, it has great potential for development, particularly in tourism and in the exploitation of its natural resources. End Summary. -------------- -------------- Regional Minister on Business Investment, Border Protection -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Regional Minister Joseph Aidoo told the Ambassador that foreign investment and border security with Cote D'Ivoire were the region's main concerns. The Minister highlighted the ample number of business opportunities for U.S. investors in oil, gas, cocoa, and gold production. The Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) fund has made the Region more attractive with improvements in road and water infrastructure. (Note: The heavy rainfall in the Region, though favorable to farmers and lumbermen, is an ongoing challenge to infrastructure development. End Note.) The Minister noted that as the Western economy flourished, so would its demand for energy. To assist the Western Region in becoming more energy efficient, the Energy Division of the World Bank had provided the region with solar panels. ¶3. (U) One of the adverse impacts of investment in the West is the continued rise of illegal mining and child labor in the region. The minister estimated there were about 5,000 illegal miners and another 5,000 individuals whose livelihoods were dependent on this illegal activity. The Regional Minister has initiated a flower production and sales program as an alternative to the illegal mining industry, and assured the Ambassador that he would not tolerate the exploitation of children. ¶4. (SBU) Aidoo mentioned Ghana's porous border with Cote d'Ivoire as a potential trouble spot, but he was also concerned about the illegal fishing in Ghanaian waters that involved many nationalities. Aidoo requested the Ambassador's assistance in obtaining a U.S. Navy speedboat to empower the Ghanaian navy to interdict poachers at sea. ¶5. (SBU) The Minister said that the leadership responsible for the violence at Krisan Refugee Camp had gone underground but was penetrating the camp at night. The GOG would, in the future, ensure that camps were located at least 50 kilometers from Ghana's borders, in keeping with international standards. The Minister professed to have no knowledge of police misconduct at Krisan nor of the subsequent GOG investigation. The Ambassador assured the Minister that, despite rumors to the contrary, Liberian refugees in the U.S. would not lose their residence status because of the emergence of peace and democracy in Liberia. -------------- Peace Corps Focuses on Tourism/Preservation -------------- ¶6. (U) Ambassador met with a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Ankasa Conservation Area and Forest who is spearheading efforts with a community NGO to conserve Ghana's largest remaining tract of virgin forest. Afterward, the Ambassador witnessed the work of another Peace Corps volunteer at Axim to develop tourism in the region. (Note: The city of Axim is home to Ghana's second-oldest European fort, St. Antonio, built by the Portuguese in 1515. Though well preserved, the fort's potential as a tourist attraction has not been fully exploited. End note.) -------------- Other Events -------------- ¶7. (U) Commodore Frank Daley of the Western Naval Command expressed his appreciation for the U.S. Coast Guard's donation of the GNZ Anzone and for the construction of a medical clinic by Seabees. The Ambassador conducted a 45- minute live television interview with a local media station, fielding questions on the Ambassador's perception of Ghana and visas. Ambassador observed the USG-funded HIV/AIDS prevention program in operation at Holy Child Teachers Training College, including an original song and drama skit. At Norpalm's palm plantation, she observed palm oil processing; thanks to USAID-funded technical assistance, production has increased significantly over the past three years. Meetings with American citizens revealed a variety of concerns that ranged from obtaining enough food (Peace Corps volunteers serving in rural areas) to applying for dual citizenship (the African-American Diaspora). Her final stop in the Region was at the Sekondi School for the Deaf, where a Peace Corps volunteer teaches visual arts and HIV/AIDS prevention, and USAID funds a feeding program for the students who board there. ¶8. (U) Ambassador Bridgewater cleared this telegram prior to her departure from post. LANIER