President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned four new Ghanaian envoys to represent the country in Angola, Qatar, Israel and at the United Nations Office and allied international organisations in Geneva.

The President charged the envoys to place Ghana’s national interests at the centre of their assignments and use diplomacy to deliver tangible economic and social benefits to the Ghanaian people.

Addressing the diplomats, President Mahama said their appointments reflected confidence in their professional competence, experience and judgement.

“Today we are entrusting to our experienced career diplomats the responsibility of representing Ghana in Angola, Qatar and Israel, and also at the United Nations Office and allied international organisations in Geneva,” he said.

“I wish to congratulate you on your appointments and to say your selection reflects confidence in your professional competence, experience and judgement.”

President Mahama told the envoys that their responsibilities must go beyond conducting official relations with their respective host countries and international institutions.

“Your work must help create opportunities for Ghanaian people, protect our citizens abroad and ensure that Ghana’s voice carries weight in the decisions that are made on the global stage that will affect our future,” he said.

He tasked them to use economic diplomacy to attract investment, open new markets for Ghanaian businesses and establish partnerships in skills development, research and technology transfer.

The President said the success of their diplomatic assignments would be measured partly by the opportunities they are able to bring home.

“Judge the success of your economic diplomacy by the opportunities you are able to bring to Ghana,” he stressed.

President Mahama also placed the welfare of Ghanaians abroad high on the agenda of the new envoys.

He said citizens should find in every Ghanaian mission an institution that listens, responds and treats them with respect.

Consular services, he said, must be accessible and efficient, while assistance to Ghanaians in distress should be treated as a priority.

For Angola, President Mahama called for increased trade and investment and closer private-sector cooperation, while directing the envoy to work towards the second session of the Ghana-Angola Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation in 2027.

The Ambassador-designate to Qatar has been tasked to deepen cooperation in investment, trade, tourism and development, while paying particular attention to implementation of the Labour Mobility Agreement and protection of Ghanaian workers.

In Israel, the President wants stronger cooperation in agriculture, technology, health, water management and education, as well as progress on a proposed Labour Mobility Agreement.

The Permanent Representative-designate in Geneva has meanwhile been charged to effectively articulate Ghana’s interests in international institutions dealing with health, trade, labour and human rights.

President Mahama reminded the envoys that their Key Performance Indicators would serve as a framework for accountability and urged them to manage public resources responsibly.

“Take them seriously, set clear priorities for your mission, deploy public resources responsibly and ensure that progress can be demonstrated,” he said.

“Let your conduct reflect the dignity of the Republic of Ghana.”

The President congratulated the diplomats and urged them to justify the confidence placed in them through the quality of their service.

“Keep Ghana’s interests at the centre of your work and make your service count for our people,” President Mahama said.