The Embassy of Ghana in Ethiopia has held a farewell ceremony in honour of outgoing Ambassador Robert Afriyie following the successful completion of his one year and ten-month tenure in Addis Ababa, during which he played a key role in strengthening Ghana’s bilateral and multilateral diplomatic engagements.
Dr. Afriyie, a career diplomat with over 25 years of service, concludes his assignment as Head of Mission in Ethiopia, where he concurrently served as Ghana’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
He will be succeeded by Ambassador-designate McArios Akanbeanab Akanbong, Ghana’s former Ambassador to Belgium, who has been reassigned to Ethiopia to continue Ghana’s diplomatic representation at one of the country’s most strategic continental missions.
The farewell ceremony, held on Thursday, May 14, 2026, featured tributes from staff and officials of the Mission, presented by the Deputy Head of Mission, Ken Abotsi, commending Dr. Afriyie for his leadership, professionalism, and unwavering support throughout his tenure.
Despite serving for less than two years, the Mission noted that Ambassador Afriyie’s diplomatic contributions would remain deeply embedded in the institution’s history due to his significant role in advancing several strategic initiatives.
Among the most notable was his contribution to the completion of the Mission’s Chancery building project and his active participation in Ghana’s successful diplomatic push at the United Nations for the adoption of the landmark resolution declaring the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.
The Mission further acknowledged the strong sense of community, professionalism, and purpose he fostered among staff and the Ghanaian community in Ethiopia, describing his tenure as one that left a lasting institutional legacy.
Ambassador Afriyie also played an instrumental role in several high-profile diplomatic and cultural engagements during his tenure. These included the maiden Ghana Month celebration at the Kuriftu African Village in Addis Ababa, organised in collaboration with Black Star Experience, Bridge 54, and the Ghana Embassy. The event showcased Ghanaian heritage through cultural exhibitions, tourism promotion, music, and traditional displays aimed at deepening cultural diplomacy between Ghana and Ethiopia.
On regional and continental policy matters, he participated in a number of strategic engagements including the panel discussion titled “Ghana and Ethiopia: Why This Connection Matters Now” and a seminar co-organised by the Institute for Security Studies and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ethiopia on the theme “Are Human Rights Still a Priority for the African Union Peace and Security Council?”
He also represented Ghana during the Interactive Session between the International Solar Alliance and African partner countries hosted by the Embassy of India in Ethiopia in Addis Ababa.
At the multilateral level, Ambassador Afriyie participated in the March 25, 2026 United Nations General Assembly commemoration marking the abolition of slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, including the historic vote on Ghana’s resolution titled “Declaration of the Trafficked Enslaved Africans and Racialized Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity.”
He also took part in the High-Level Event on Reparatory Justice for the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on March 24, 2026, reinforcing Ghana’s leading role in global reparatory justice advocacy.
Robert Afriyie concludes his tenure marked by notable achievements and strengthened bilateral and continental diplomatic engagement, adding to over twenty-five years of distinguished diplomatic service. He was appointed by former President Nana Akufo-Addo on June 24, 2024, with concurrent responsibility as Ghana’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
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