Liberia’s Ambassador to Ghana, Musu Jatu Ruhle, has formally presented her Letters of Credence to Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, marking the start of her diplomatic accreditation to the Republic of Togo and reaffirming Liberia’s commitment to strengthening ties with the West African nation.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Palace in Lomé, where Ambassador Ruhle officially assumed her mandate to represent Liberia in Togo alongside her current posting in Ghana. The diplomatic tradition of presenting Letters of Credence formally authorizes an ambassador to act on behalf of their head of state and government in a host country.
During the engagement, Ambassador Ruhle conveyed warm greetings from Liberia’s President, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, and reiterated Liberia’s readiness to deepen bilateral cooperation with Togo in key areas including trade, diplomacy, regional security, and cultural exchange.
President Gnassingbé welcomed the Liberian envoy and expressed optimism that the diplomatic engagement would further consolidate the longstanding friendship between the two West African states. He emphasized the importance of stronger cooperation among countries within the subregion, particularly as West Africa confronts evolving economic and security challenges.
Ambassador Ruhle’s new accreditation reflects Liberia’s broader diplomatic strategy of strengthening engagement within regional institutions such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where both Liberia and Togo play active roles in advancing regional integration, trade cooperation, and collective security initiatives.
In her diplomatic message, Ambassador Ruhle highlighted Liberia’s interest in expanding economic exchanges and private sector collaboration between the two countries. She noted that enhanced diplomatic engagement could open new opportunities for trade, investment, and tourism flows between Liberia and Togo.
Ghana, where Ambassador Ruhle is resident, also plays an important role in Liberia’s diplomatic network. The Republic of Ghana hosts numerous regional institutions and remains one of Liberia’s key diplomatic and economic partners in West Africa, making the dual accreditation to both Ghana and Togo strategically significant for Monrovia’s regional engagement.
Togo itself occupies a critical geographic and economic position in West Africa. With the Port of Lomé serving as a major maritime gateway for the region, stronger ties with the Republic of Togo could help Liberia expand its trade connectivity and cooperation on maritime security and logistics across the Gulf of Guinea.
Ambassador Ruhle brings extensive experience in diplomacy and public service to her role, having served Liberia in several international engagements prior to her current appointment. Her work has focused on strengthening bilateral relations, promoting Liberia’s development interests, and advancing cooperation across Africa and the broader international community.
Liberia and Togo share diplomatic relations that date back more than six decades. According to historical records on Liberia’s foreign relations, the two countries formally established diplomatic ties on 29 July 1960, when Liberia accredited its first ambassador to Togo, Mr. John Cox.
Since then, the relationship has been largely maintained through non-resident diplomatic representation, with Liberia’s embassy in the Republic of Ghana serving as the resident mission responsible for diplomatic engagement with the Republic of Togo. Ambassador Musu Jatu Ruhle, therefore, represents Liberia in both Ghana and Togo, reflecting the close diplomatic and geographic links among the three West African states.
Historically, Togo has also played a supportive role in Liberia’s peace and stability efforts during the country’s civil conflict in the 1990s. Togolese troops participated in the regional peacekeeping mission deployed under the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), contributing forces to help restore stability in Liberia during its civil war.
That cooperation laid the foundation for continued collaboration between the two countries on regional peace and security matters within both ECOWAS and the African Union. Liberia and Togo have frequently aligned positions in multilateral forums on issues including democratic governance, regional stability, and economic integration across West Africa.
Economically, both countries maintain growing interests in trade and maritime cooperation within the Gulf of Guinea corridor. Togo’s Port of Lomé serves as one of West Africa’s key logistics hubs, facilitating trade flows across the subregion and providing strategic opportunities for Liberia to expand its commercial connectivity.
The diplomatic triangle linking Liberia, Ghana, and Togo is also significant in regional diplomacy. Republic of Ghana hosts numerous West African institutions and international organizations, making it a central hub for diplomacy, peacekeeping training, and regional dialogue. For Liberia, maintaining strong diplomatic representation in Ghana while concurrently engaging Togo helps strengthen its presence within the broader ECOWAS framework.
In recent years, Liberia has sought to deepen cooperation with both countries in areas such as trade facilitation, education, and institutional capacity-building. The appointment and accreditation of Ambassador Ruhle therefore reflects Liberia’s broader effort to strengthen its diplomatic engagement across West Africa and reinforce strategic partnerships with key regional actors.
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