The President of Germany, His Excellency Frank-Walter Steinmeier, experienced a grand display of Asante royalty and culture during a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi as part of his three-day state visit to Ghana.
The visit, steeped in centuries-old tradition, blended regal warmth with diplomatic formality. Upon arrival at the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Jubilee Hall, President Steinmeier and his delegation were welcomed with a vibrant kete dance performance. In keeping with Asante custom, Daasebre Otuo Sereboe II, the Juabenhene, led the German leader to the presence of the Asantehene.
At the reception hall, Otumfuo was joined by prominent members of the Asanteman Council, including Odeneho Okyere Kusi Ntrama, Essumegyahene; Barima Sarfo Tweneboah Kodua, Kumawuhene; and Baffour Owusu Bediako, Asante Akyem Domeabrahene.
During a closed-door meeting, the Asantehene presented the visiting President with a traditional stool embossed with the Asante emblem, a symbol of authority and power.
The gift, according to the Juabenhene, represented friendship and mutual respect between the Asante Kingdom and the German people.
Observers described the Manhyia Palace reception as one of the most memorable highlights of President Steinmeier’s visit to Ghana.
Earlier in the day, President Steinmeier visited the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where he reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to advancing academic and technological cooperation with Ghana’s premier science and technology university.
“We are aware of opportunities in this cooperation. We have a big interest. We are learning from you, and you are learning from us, for the benefit of each other,” he stated during an interaction with university officials and students.
Welcoming the German leader, Chairman of the KNUST Governing Board, Akyamfuo Asafo Boakye Agyemang-Bonsu, called for deeper collaboration between the two countries, noting that KNUST currently has partnerships with more than 25 German institutions.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, outlined key areas for future collaboration, including a sustainable, end-to-end vaccine development and manufacturing programme aimed at enabling Africa to produce 60 percent of its vaccine needs locally by 2040.
She also proposed the establishment of a 2MW Smart Solar Energy Park on the KNUST campus to support renewable energy education and Ghana’s net-zero agenda.
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In response, President Steinmeier pledged to expand the scope of existing partnerships, emphasizing Germany’s commitment to supporting Ghana in education, research, and technology development.
President Steinmeier also toured the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), a leading biomedical research facility jointly operated by KNUST, Ghana’s Ministry of Health, and Germany’s Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM).
Accompanied by the German Ambassador to Ghana, Frederik Landshöft; the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene; and Kumasi Mayor Hon. Richard Agyeman-Boadi, the President visited various laboratories, including the biodiversity lab, sterilisation room, and amplification lab.
Established in 2003, KCCR has grown into a centre of excellence for biomedical and tropical disease research. It houses specialised units in infectious diseases, immunology, bioinformatics, molecular diagnostics, and global health.
The centre was expanded in recent years to include an entomology wing, a cold house, and an outbreak preparedness block, underscoring its critical role in public health research in West Africa.
President Steinmeier’s engagements in Kumasi; ranging from cultural diplomacy at the Manhyia Palace to scientific collaboration at KNUST and KCCR; reflected the growing strength of Ghana–Germany relations.
His Majesty’s royal reception, coupled with Germany’s pledge to deepen academic and technological cooperation, marked a significant milestone in bilateral ties.
The German leader has since departed Kumasi, concluding what has been widely described as a fruitful and culturally enriching visit to Ghana’s Ashanti Region.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Isaac Justice Bediako
