The Ambassador of the Republic of Ghana to Germany, HE Gina Ama Blay, opened her country’s new honorary consulate for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in Dortmund on Tuesday, 18 February.
The consulate is located in the building housing the headquarters of Auslandsgesellschaft – a German organisation that promotes international understanding.
The president of Auslandsgesellschaft, Klaus Wegener, represents Ghana in NRW as the honorary consul.
Ambassador Blay handed the certificate of appointment to Mr Wegener at the ceremony attended by many members of the Ghanaian community in Dortmund. The honorary consulate is now the first point of contact for the around 9,200 Ghanaians living in NRW, the partner of Ghana in Germany.
Mr Wegener was appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo in October last year.
Honorary consuls are designated by a foreign government to look after the affairs of its citizens. They also handle issues like visas and facilitate trade and friendship between the people of the two countries.
Honorary consuls are not career diplomats; they’re volunteers who do not have to be citizens of the country they’re representing. In fact, they are usually citizens of the host country.
Ghana now has four honorary consulates in Germany. These are in Dortmund, Hamburg, Munich and Hanover.
Sola Jolaoso
- Ghana Honorary Consulate
- Auslandsgesellschaft.de e.V.
Steinstr. 48, 44147 Dortmund
Tel.: +49231 838 00 26
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