President Akufo-Addo Decorated With The Highest Award Within IDC

The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has been decorated with the most noteworthy honor within international diplomacy circles by the World Federation of Consuls, Internationale des Corps et Affiliations Consulaires (FICAC), at a short meeting on 30th May, 2023 at the Jubilee House in Accra.

For his invaluable support of the Honorary Consuls in Ghana and his contribution to the development and maintenance of peace, democracy, stability, and freedoms, President Akufo-Addo was given the FICAC Gold Star award.

The award, which the President of FICAC, Nikolaos K. Margaropoulos, called the World Consular Federation’s highest distinction award, is only given to current heads of state. It is recognized by royal decree in Belgium, the Organization of American States, the European Union, and the United States ECOSOG with special status.

The President joins the ranks of world leaders like Herman Van Rompuy, who was the European Council’s then-president, Prince Albert II of Monaco, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Slovenia, the Philippines, and Turkey.

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This honor has also been received by Pope Benedict and Pope Francis, who traditionally doesn’t get awards from any government or organization, yet offered FICAC the particular distinction of private audience and covering it off by getting the Gold Star awards.

Receiving the award, President Akufo-Addo made these remarks:

“This is a really distinguished collection of people from the entire globe who are here this afternoon and I want to thank you very much for your presence and also our compatriots for proposing Accra as a respectable venue for the holding of your maiden Pan-African conference. That is why it is important that Ghanaians should be everywhere.”

The President said, “the work that Consuls do, in my own country, and all over the world is important. Unfortunately, it’s not everywhere where we can have formal diplomatic presence and therefore you fill in that gap.”

“it’s a gap that allows countries to be able to engage and trade, investment education exchanges and exchanges that are important to every state and the consular corps here in Ghana has been particularly active and very productive for the Ghanaian state and people. We appreciate it and are grateful to you.”

President Akufo-Addo expressed his sincere gratitude for the honor and thanked them for their collaboration with the Women in Diplomacy committee.

“There is very little that I can say other than a big Thank you. I am very honoured by the prize. I thank you very much for this, most considerate of you, it will help to focus my mind on the work that we are doing and continue to support the Consular Corps here in Ghana so that we can promote good relations between your countries of accreditation, “he added.

Laid out in Copenhagen in October 1982, FICAC was birthed out of the need to unite Consular Affiliations or Corps from everywhere the world to share experience, and co-ordinate endeavors to upgrade that status and viability of the Diplomat which is the oldest institution serving global bilateral relations.