Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. announced Monday that he will travel to Ghana later this month with an official Virgin Islands delegation, marking the first time a U.S. governor of African descent — and the first Virgin Islands governor — has made an official visit to the West African nation.
Speaking at his weekly Government House press briefing, Bryan framed the trip as both symbolic and strategic, linking the Virgin Islands’ African ancestry to new opportunities in trade, technology, and tourism.
“Over the years we’ve celebrated our ties with Denmark — and that history is important — but we’re also from Ghana, we’re from Africa, and we haven’t celebrated or built on those connections,” Bryan said. “This visit is about recognizing where we come from and what’s possible when we reconnect those roots.”
Bryan said the weeklong visit, scheduled for Nov. 22–30, will include senior representatives from the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority, the Department of Tourism, and the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network. The trip, he added, will also support efforts currently before Congress to link Ghana to the Western Hemisphere through a new undersea fiber-optic cable project — an initiative viNGN officials are helping advance.
“This is the first time a black governor has visited Ghana, and they’re very excited about the trip,” Bryan said. “We’re working on a project now to connect Ghana to the Western Hemisphere with fiber, and with their other cultural and economic ties, this is about seeing what we can do to bring business from Africa to the Caribbean and from the Caribbean to Africa.”
According to Government House, the visit is intended to “advance trade, tourism, cultural, and technology partnerships with West Africa.” While in Accra, the delegation will meet with senior Ghanaian officials, including leaders at the Ghana Free Zones Authority, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and the Bank of Ghana, as well as Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare and former President John Dramani Mahama. The delegation will also tour Osu Castle and engage with community and business leaders in the historic Osu neighborhood.
In the official release issued after Monday’s briefing, Bryan emphasized that the trip will be a working mission rather than a ceremonial one. “Ghana is not just a heritage destination for Virgin Islanders. It is a potential partner for trade, tourism, finance, and technology,” he said. “Tourism will talk routes and experiences. The EDA will pursue investment and free-zone opportunities. viNGN will explore digital connectivity and fintech. We want partnerships that put Virgin Islanders to work and create value in both directions.”
Bryan also connected the visit to his 2019 executive order recognizing African Heritage Week and African Liberation Day each May 25, describing it as part of a continuing effort to link “education, culture, and business with concrete actions.”
In recent years, Virgin Islands cultural delegations have participated in Emancipation commemorations and exhibits in Ghana, underscoring the historical and cultural bridge between the two regions. Bryan said this official visit aims to build on that foundation while forging economic and technological ties for the future.
“When we recognized African Heritage Week early in my tenure, we made a promise to connect our culture to our future,” the governor said in the release. “This visit keeps that promise.”
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