On Thursday, 22nd May 2025, the International Programmes Office (IPO) of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) welcomed a delegation from the United States Embassy in Ghana, led by Mr. Matthew Asada, Press Attaché. The delegation also included Mrs. Dana Diamond, Public Diplomacy Associate, and Mr. Cyril Alexis Otabil, American Spaces Coordinator.
The courtesy visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between the U.S. Embassy and KNUST, particularly in the areas of public diplomacy, cultural exchange, and academic partnerships. Mr. Asada introduced the newly appointed team members and outlined recent structural adjustments at the Embassy due to changes in the U.S. administration. He noted that while some projects previously funded through USAID have been impacted, critical health and development initiatives will continue, and efforts are ongoing to secure alternative funding for other programmes.
He also mentioned a temporary pause in certain U.S. government-funded media platforms, including Voice of America, but reaffirmed the Embassy’s commitment to working with KNUST to enhance visibility for U.S.-related activities on campus.
A key highlight of the discussion was the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Mr. Asada revealed plans to organise monthly events across host cities in the lead-up to the tournament and expressed interest in partnering with KNUST to leverage the presence of visiting U.S. partners and scholars in these initiatives.
Professor Esmeranda Manful, Vice Dean of IPO, warmly welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation for the Embassy’s continued interest in collaborating with KNUST. She praised the initiative to amplify U.S.-related events on campus and urged that concrete steps be taken to initiate implementation. She also voiced enthusiastic support for the “Road to the World Cup” series and extended her best wishes to the delegation for the final of the ACE Spoken Word Contest, which they were in Kumasi to attend.
Also present at the meeting were Mrs. Marilyn Owusu, CEO of Ace Consult Limited and Executive Director of American Corner; as well as Ms. Ernestine Oheneba Danso, Collaborations and Partnerships Officer, and Mr. Attah-Nyame Essampong, Visibility and Communications Officer at the International Programmes Office.
This visit reaffirms the strong ties between the U.S. Embassy and KNUST and opens new avenues for cultural and academic engagement.
