US first lady arrives in Ghana for solo Africa trip

US First Lady Melania Trump has visited a hospital in Ghana’s capital, Accra, at the start of her solo trip that will see her visit four African countries.

Earlier at the airport, she was welcomed by dancers and drummers but the public reaction has been low key.

The tour, which also takes in Kenya, Malawi, and Egypt, will focus on promoting health and education.
The visit, alongside Ghana’s First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo, to Accra’s Ridge Hospital set the tone for the trip as a whole.


Mrs. Trump observed babies being weighed as part of a project aimed at promoting nutrition in children, which is supported by funding from the US government’s foreign aid organization, USAID

She is also set to promote her Be Best initiative which aims to tackle issues such as cyberbullying and boost healthy living. She tweeted that the campaign was going “international”.
Ahead of her trip, Mrs. Trump said that she was looking forward to visiting “four beautiful and very different countries in Africa”.

“She is interested in Africa because she has never been before and knows that each country will have its own unique history and culture.” Stephanie Grisham, her communications director, said.

Ahead of her trip, Mrs. Trump said that she was looking forward to seeing how the US can continue working together with Malawi to support a USAID programme that is focussed on children’s education.
The first lady also highlighted the work the US was doing in Kenya to support early-childhood education, wildlife conservation, and HIV prevention.

“My final stop, which is Egypt, will focus on the country’s tourism and conservation projects,” she said.