Embassy of the United States, Accra | |
---|---|
Location | Cantonments, Accra, Ghana |
Address | No. 24, Fourth Circular Rd. |
Website | gh.usembassy.gov |
The Embassy of the United States of America in Accra is the diplomatic mission of the United States in Ghana. It is the focal point for events relating to the United States held in Ghana. [1] [2]
Ambassador is in charge of the Embassy. Virginia E. Palmer is the current Ambassador of the United States to Ghana. [3]
The embassy in Accra was established March 6, 1957, with Donald W. Lamm in charge as chargé d'affaires.[ citation needed ]
The initial embassy building was designed by Harry Weese. Described as a "glass box raised on stilts and wrapped in wooden shutters", Weese claimed to have been inspired by "towering African anthills and[...]an inverted cheiftain's hut", comments which were later criticized as reductive and possibly a false stretch to portray the building as grounded in local tradition. [4]
On August 28, 1963, in response to the concurrent March on Washington and the death of W. E. B. Du Bois the day before, a protest was held at the embassy by African American expats, including notable activists such as Julian Mayfield and Maya Angelou, as well as native Ghanaians challenging the John F. Kennedy administration for its contradictory and slow-moving racial equality policies. Although there were other solidarity demonstrations at embassies in different countries as well, the Accra protest was the most prominent. [5]
In 1998, the embassy moved to a temporary building due to security concerns, with the building later being used by the Ghanaian Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs. [6] A new embassy compound that adheres to the Standard Embassy Design guidelines, implemented after 9/11 to increase the security of diplomatic missions, was completed in 2007 by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The former building was slated to become a women's center, but reportedly became vacant and dilapidated. [7]
A "fake embassy" was reportedly active for around ten years until its shutdown in 2016, posing as the actual American embassy (and possibly the Dutch embassy) and issuing false visas for thousands of dollars, with its closure gaining worldwide attention; [8] [9] however, an investigation by The Guardian found the reports to be exaggerated, stating that it was based on faulty intelligence from investigations into actual visa fraud schemes and that certain claims, such as the use of an American flag and portraits of US presidents at the premises, were not true. [10]
President Joe Biden nominated career US diplomat and Acting Assistant Secretary/Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Energy Resources Virginia E. Palmer for the position on June 2, 2021; she has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. [11]
Ghanaian passports are issued exclusively by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to Ghanaians granted citizenship in accordance with the Ghanaian nationality law. There are three types of passport booklets – contemporary (regular), service, and diplomatic passports. Ghanaian passport booklets are valid for travel by Ghanaians anywhere in the world, although the holder may need to obtain a visa from the destination country when travelling for some purposes. More than one valid Ghanaian passport of the same type may not be held.
Ghana–United States relations are the diplomatic relations between Ghana and United States.
The Embassy of the United States in Oslo is the diplomatic representation of the federal government of the United States to the Kingdom of Norway. A new embassy was put into service in May 2017. The current Embassy is located in Morgedalsvegen 36, near the Makrellbekken Metro Station, in one of the city's western suburbs. Visitors to the embassy are encouraged to use public transport.
The Embassy of the United States of America in Kabul was the official diplomatic mission of the United States of America to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Its chancery on Great Massoud Road in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood of the Afghan capital of Kabul was built at a cost of nearly $800 million.
Ghana–Israel relations refers to the bilateral relations between Ghana and Israel. Ghana–Israel relations dates back to the mid-1950s after Israel offered support to develop the Ghanaian armed forces. However, following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Ghana severed relationships with Israel. In 2011, Ghana and Israel resumed formal relations and opened embassies in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan and Accra respectively.
The Embassy of the United States of America in Kyiv is the diplomatic mission of the United States to Ukraine.
The Embassy of the United States to the Kingdom of Denmark is the diplomatic mission of the United States in Denmark. The building is located on Dag Hammarskjölds Allé, in Indre Østerbro, Copenhagen, and it was opened in May 1954. The embassy also oversees American interests in Greenland. On 10 June 2020, the United States reopened its consulate in Nuuk, Greenland.
Visitors to Ghana must obtain a visa from one of the Ghanaian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the countries or territories that are either visa exempt or whose citizens may obtain a visa on arrival.
The Embassy of the United States of America in Dublin is the diplomatic mission of the United States of America to Ireland.
Julie Furuta-Toy is a former U.S. Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea. Following an initial announcement by President Barack Obama on June 18, 2015, Ambassador Furuta-Toy was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 22, 2015, and subsequently sworn in on November 24, 2015. She arrived in Malabo to take up her duties on January 7, 2016. Prior to her arrival in Equatorial Guinea, Ms. Furuta-Toy served as both Deputy Chief of Mission and chargé d'affaires at the Embassy of the United States, Oslo, (2012-2015). Her lengthy tenure as chargé d'affaires stemmed from delays related to the nomination and confirmation of a new ambassador to Norway by the United States Senate.
Virginia Evelyn Palmer is an American diplomat who has served as the United States ambassador to Ghana since 2022. Palmer is the former United States ambassador to Malawi. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate, beginning that assignment in January 2015.
The nations of Ghana and Mexico established diplomatic relations in 1961. Both nations are members of the United Nations.
Ghana–Hungary relations are the current and historical relations between Ghana and Hungary.
The Western Togoland Rebellion is an ongoing separatist revolt led by the Ewe nationalist organization Western Togoland Restoration Front (WTRF) against the government of Ghana. The group seeks the independence of former British Togoland.
Irchad Ramiandrasoa Razaaly is a French career diplomat. He is the Ambassador of the European Union to Ghana since 1 September 2021.
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