The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has assured the Honorary Consular Corps of her outfits preparedness and commitment to extend to them all privileges and immunities due them as clearly stated in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 and also support them in their work in promoting strong economic ties between Ghana and their sending states.
Currently, there are forty Honorary Consuls operating from various parts of the country.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey gave the assurance when the Honorary Consular Corps visited her in Accra where she commended them for their hard work in promoting mostly business and economic relations between Ghana and the various countries they represent.
They include the Honorary Consul of Belgium, Dimitri Avraam; Antonio Jose de Matos Fernandes, Honorary Consul of Portugal; Thomas Okyere, Honorary Consul of Botswana; and Fredrik Morsing, Honorary Consul of Sweden.
She commended the Honorary Consular Corps for their efforts in strengthening further the relations between their sending states, which do not have full Diplomatic Missions in Ghana and the country.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey enumerated the efforts made by the Ministry to ensure that all privileges due the Honorary Consular Corps as stated in the Vienna Convention on Consular relation 1963 are extended to them.
According to her a stakeholder meeting in November, 2020 between officials of the Ministry, the Police, DVLA etc. was organized to deliberate on appropriate vehicle registration number plates and other privileges for the Honorary Consular Corps after which a circular Note Verbale was sent to all Honorary Consuls conveying the outcomes and decisions for guidance and compliance.
She indicated that that Background with Black Letters number plate would be issued to Honorary Consular Corps and the members must submit a request for the re-registration through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to the Drivers and Vehicle License Authority (DVLA)).
The Foreign Affairs Minister recalled that she received some tax exemption requests from Honorary Consular Corps and pointed out that only privilege and immunities stated in the Vienna Convention on Consular relations can be extended and added that Honorary Consuls do not benefit from tax exemptions.
Story: Henry George Martinson@radiogoldlive.com
