“Look at this good-looking guy”: Trump welcomes Ghana’s Ambassador to the White House

Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Victor Emmanuel Smith, has formally presented his credentials to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, officially beginning his diplomatic mission in Washington, DC.

The ceremony took place at the Oval Office of the White House, where Ambassador Smith was among 14 newly appointed envoys accredited to the United States. 

According to a post by the Embassy of Ghana in Washington DC, USA on Facebook, he was the first ambassador to be received by President Trump during the session, a development that underscored Ghana’s diplomatic standing and engagement with the United States.

The post disclosed that President Trump reacted warmly upon seeing the Ghanaian envoy, exclaiming, “look at this good-looking guy,” a remark that drew light-hearted laughter in the Oval Office and set a cordial tone for the interaction.

During the engagement, Ambassador Smith expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to serve as Ghana’s representative in Washington and conveyed greetings from President John Dramani Mahama. He reaffirmed Ghana’s interest in working closely with the United States further to strengthen the long-standing bilateral relationship between the two countries.

The Ambassador emphasised Ghana’s commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, investment and economic diplomacy, describing the country as a stable democratic state and a strategic gateway to regional and continental markets.

He noted that Ghana provides access to a sub-regional market of more than 400 million people and a continental market exceeding 1.4 billion people, positioning the country as an attractive destination for American businesses seeking to expand their footprint in Africa.

Ambassador Smith also highlighted Ghana’s role as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, reinforcing its status as a hub for intra-African trade and investment.

According to him, Ghana is ready for deeper engagement with American companies, particularly in manufacturing, agribusiness, energy, technology and services.

He further extended Ghana’s readiness to host President Trump, describing such a visit as an opportunity to consolidate diplomatic relations and unlock new areas of cooperation between the two nations.