Accra- 19th November,2025- The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has hosted the Ambassador of Peru to Ghana, Madam Rosa Liliana Gomez Cardenas de Weston, who paid a courtesy call to explore deeper cooperation between the two nations in Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
Ambassador Gomez Cardenas de Weston expressed appreciation to the Ministry for the successful organisation of the Afro Gastro Festival, describing the event as timely and an important platform that enabled Peru to showcase its identity, culinary heritage and cultural presence in Ghana. She noted that Peru was keen to share best practices and exchange knowledge with Ghana, particularly in areas where Peru has achieved global recognition.
According to the Ambassador, Peru boasts several UNESCO-recognized tourist sites and has developed gastronomy into a thriving tourism pillar that has won numerous international awards. She underscored the country’s effective use of native products, ecological tourism experiences, cruise tourism and cultural exchanges to attract global visitors.
To strengthen collaboration, she proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry and extended an invitation for a Ghanaian delegation to visit Peru for first-hand exposure to its tourism model.
Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie thanked the Ambassador and the Peruvian community for their participation and support during the Afro Gastro Festival. She revealed that the African Union has expressed interest in marking its 60th anniversary celebrations in Ghana with editions of the Afro Gastro Festival in October and December next year, a development she described as significant for the creative and culinary sectors.
The Minister assured the Ambassador of Ghana’s readiness to formalize cooperation through an MoU, noting that such an agreement would help both countries deepen ties and learn from each other’s strengths in Tourism and Cultural and Creative Arts promotion.
Ambassador Gomez Cardenas de Weston also shared Peru’s experience in recovering cultural artefacts taken 400–500 years ago, highlighting that some items had been voluntarily returned by expatriates. Peru, she said, has legislation supporting restitution and is willing to share its expertise with Ghana.
The Minister welcomed the exchange of knowledge, emphasizing that Ghana continues to work actively on restitution issues. She mentioned that as Acting chair and substantive deputy of ECOWAS on restitution, countries such as Nigeria, Benin and Senegal have made significant progress, while Ghana remains committed to advancing its efforts. She added that President John Dramani Mahama, now serving as a prominent voice for Africa on reparations, continues to champion the cause, making the issue especially important to the nation.
Source: Delassie Mabel Awuku-PR Unit- MoTCCA
