President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday formally received five newly appointed envoys representing Italy, Cuba, Liberia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Iran, as they presented their letters of credence at the Presidency in Accra.

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The diplomats, who also submitted letters recalling their predecessors, included Madam Laura Ranalli of Italy, Mr. Julio Enrique Pujol Torres of Cuba, Mrs. Musu Jatu Ruhle of Liberia, Dr. Abdulla Muraid Sulaiman Mohammed Al Mandoos of the UAE, and Mr. Ali Ghomshi of Iran.

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During separate meetings with each envoy at the Credentials Hall, President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening its diplomatic ties with their respective countries, emphasizing the mutual benefits of cooperation in various sectors.

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Addressing Madam Laura Ranalli, the Italian Ambassador, President Mahama noted the significance of the ceremony, as she was the first envoy he was receiving since assuming office on January 7.

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“Our relations have been historical, and Ghanaians have a very high regard for our cooperation with Italy,” he said.

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Highlighting Ghana’s collaboration with Italian energy giant Eni, President Mahama recalled his recent discussions with its Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi.

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“We had very good discussions. They had some issues during the previous administration. Happily, we’ve been able to resolve them, and so he indicated that they were willing to go ahead with their investment in Ghana,” he stated.

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“We have had a good partnership with them, and currently almost 60 per cent of our total gas supply for power generation is coming from Eni, and they have the possibility of ramping that up with the other compartments that we gave them.”

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He also highlighted Italy’s role in Ghana’s energy sector, citing projects such as the Akosombo and Kpone Hydro-electric Dams, and expressed optimism about further collaboration in engineering and technology.

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On agriculture, President Mahama stressed its importance to national development, emphasizing that food security must be a priority for any responsible government. He also provided updates on Ghana’s economic outlook, noting that inflation had dropped from 54 per cent to 22 per cent, with hopes of further decline.

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Additionally, he announced the upcoming launch of Ghana’s Labour Export Policy, which aims to facilitate the export of skilled labour to other countries.

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Madam Ranalli congratulated President Mahama on his electoral victory and welcomed the renewed cooperation between Ghana and Eni, which she said had sparked significant interest in Italy.

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“With regard to agriculture, Bonifiche Ferraresi, Italy’s largest company in the sector has committed to investing in Ghana through the establishment of model farms,” she revealed.

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“These farms are designed to promote regenerative agriculture, develop sustainable, scalable, and innovative agroindustrial value chains, enhance food security, and foster the education of human capital to generate lasting employment.”

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The ceremony underscored Ghana’s ongoing efforts to deepen its international partnerships and attract foreign investment across multiple sectors.

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