Georgetown: President David Granger, Wednesday morning, accredited new Ghanaian High Commissioner to Guyana Professor Abena Pokua Adompim Busia at a ceremony held at the Ministry of the Presidency. President Granger also announced the President of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be in Guyana on June 11, 2019 for a State visit.
The Head of State noted that Guyana and Ghana are joined by ties of blood, history and common interests and that Guyana would have joined in heralding Ghana’s Independence in 1957.
“Some cultural organizations observe, annually, the 6th March as Ghana Day. Guyana and Ghana have enjoyed cordial relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties on 14th May 1979, forty years ago. Our relations are founded on mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, cooperation for mutual benefit, respect for international law and treaties and the maintenance of international peace and security,” President Granger said.
The President also said the 4oth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two states, this year, is a propitious time for deepening and strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
“Guyana, in this regard, extends a warm welcome to the visiting high-level delegation and private sector delegation from Ghana. We anticipate that this visit will lay a solid foundation for cooperation between our states. Guyana is in transition towards the establishment of a ‘green state’ which will see more emphasis being placed on the protection of our environment, the preservation of our biodiversity, the promotion of renewable energy generation, and practical measures to ensure climate adaptation. Guyana’s ‘green state’ will allow us to respond more effectively to the challenges posed by climate change,” he added.
Further, President Granger noted that he met His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference in 2018 and again this year, during his visit to the Republic of Cuba, where he accepted an invitation to visit Guyana.
“Guyana prepares to host a State Visit of President Akufo-Addo on 11th -12th June 2019. We are confident that this visit will result in practical measures aimed at enhancing relations and cooperation between our two states, particularly in the fields of agriculture, culture, energy, environment, investment, petroleum production, private sector cooperation, tourism and transportation,” the Head of State said.
Meanwhile, High Commissioner Pokua Adompim Busia, in her remarks, said that Ghana and Guyana have long-standing historical relations which date back centuries. She noted that the two countries share close bonds of affinity and friendship, steeped in a history which makes the relationship special.
“We have therefore, recognized this rallying point of common heritage through political cooperation and educational and cultural linkages and commitment to shared values and principles. It is my hope that during my tenure I will be able to translate our bilateral ties into vibrant economic cooperation with the private sector which is regarded as the engine of growth for the mutual benefit of the two countries. To that end, I intend to focus on the comparative advantage of our two countries; specifically areas of trade and investments, agriculture and agro-processing, mining, and tourism,” the newly accredited High Commissioner said.
She also noted that Ghana is the gateway to the West Africa sub region and in the light of this, the Government has put in place policies and initiatives which are all geared to promote Ghana as a business-friendly country. The High Commissioner then invited members of the business community to take advantage of this conducive environment.
“Please, let us exchange Trade Missions to explore the many other business ventures open to us. In the area of educational exchanges and heritage tourism, I am committed to exploring the potential for our two countries to exchange ideas and share best practices,” she said.
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