(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles and Ghana are exploring collaboration in fisheries health and education, said the newly accredited Ghanian High Commissioner to Seychelles on Tuesday.  

Francisca Ashietey-Odunton made the statement after she presented her credentials to President Wavel Ramkalawan at State House.

Ashietey-Odunton said, "Our discussions were focussed on strengthening the relationship between Ghana and the Seychelles."

She told reporters that one of the main topics of discussion revolved around the 100-year-anniversary of King Prempeh of Ashanti's return to Ghana from exile in Seychelles, and how to use that to further enhance the strong bond between Seychelles and the Western African country.  

Seychelles and Ghana established diplomatic relations on October 10, 1988, though the two countries have historical ties dating back to the late 1890s. The king of the Ashanti - Prempeh I - along with some members of his family were exiled to Seychelles by the British colonial authorities of the time.

"Ghana and Seychelles have quite a lot of similarities, and we are looking to collaborate in areas such fisheries, health, education and trade, for the mutual benefit of our people, and especially when it comes to the youth, we are looking at exchange programmes that both countries can benefit from," added Ashietey-Odunton.

The new high commissioner began her career in the media field, spending four years as the deputy director general of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, before taking up ambassadorial roles in Kenya, Turkey, South Africa and now Seychelles.

Also accredited on Tuesday was the Ambassador of Ireland to Seychelles, Nicola Brennan-Brugha.  

In her press conference, she said, "Ireland and Seychelles have a very strong bilateral relationship, and our discussion focussed on issues related to climate action, given that both Seychelles and Ireland are experiencing issues related to climate change and trying to address these."

The new ambassador commended the President for his leadership of small island developing states (SIDS) on climate action.

Brennan-Brugha is also the ambassador to Ethiopia, South Sudan and Djibouti and will be based in Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania.

The new Netherlands' Ambassador to Seychelles, Henk Jan Bakker, was also accredited.

"The President and I discussed matters of mutual interest, of which there are a few, and one of them is maritime security," he told reporters.

Bakker explained that the two countries will also look to collaborate in other areas, including cybercrime. Next year, the two nations are expected to sign an asset-sharing agreement on cybercrime.