The new U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has presented her credentials to President Nana Akufo-Addo at Jubilee House on Thursday, June 16.

The Ambassador who took over from Stephanie S. Sullivan, who left on April 7, this year, thanked the President and Ghanaians for the warm welcome given her since her arrival in the country.

She also highlighted the strong, positive, and long-term friendship between the United States and Ghana based on shared democratic values, commitments to regional security, and mutual prosperity.

“I’m honoured to be here as President Joe Biden’s representative in Ghana. Over the next three years, I look forward to seeing as much of this beautiful country as possible and meeting Ghanaians from all walks of life.

“Today, the U.S.-Ghana partnership is stronger than ever, founded on these historic ties and our shared democratic values and strengthened by our vibrant bilateral trade and investment and strong security cooperation,” she said.

Ambassador Palmer previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Malawi, Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in South Africa.

She was the Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam, the Department of State’s Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism.

Most recently, she served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources at the Department of State. 

Ambassador Palmer who speaks fluently in Mandarin obtained her Master's degree and did doctoral studies at the University of Virginia.

She received a BSFS from Georgetown University and also attended Washington University in St. Louis.

The new Ambassador and her husband, retired Foreign Service Officer Ismail Asmal, have two daughters.