Akufo-Addo urges envoys to deepen ties with Ghana

Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged the governments and people of Switzerland, Botswana, New Zealand and Pakistan to deepen their co-operation with the West African country.

According to President Akufo-Addo, “The vision that we have for our country is to stop being a producer of raw materials in favour of intermediate and finished products. We want to enter the world economy on a different nexus; that we are a country that supports its private sector. Your countries, therefore, are an important part of this transformation process.”

The President made this known on Tuesday, 2 July 2019, when envoys from the four countries presented their letters of credence to him at the Jubilee House, the seat of the nation’s presidency, to mark the beginning of their duty in Ghana.

The Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Philip Stadler, said that with Ghana ranking as Switzerland’s third most important trading partner in Africa, “bilateral trade volumes reached a record of $1.7 billion in 2018”.

Philip Stadler told President Akufo-Addo that: “My goal is to contribute to the diversification of our trade relations in Ghana, despite the fact that Swiss companies run their business and their investment decisions very independently from the government, which does not interfere at all in this.”

From the Republic of Botswana, Ambassador Pule Batimanki Mphothwe pledged to deepen relations and work to activate the Permanent Joint Commission for Co-operation between the two countries.

With Botswana’s position as a key member of the African Union, the President asked for Botswana’s support for Ghana’s bid to serve as headquarters of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

For his part, Major General (Retired) Waqar Ahmad Kingravi, Pakistani Ambassador to Ghana, congratulated President Akufo-Addo and Ghana on its steady rise to becoming one of the most exciting economic prospects in the world.

He said Pakistan finds Ghana a very lucrative destination for Pakistani entrepreneurs and pledged to “increase this enabling business framework for our businessmen and entrepreneurs by instituting periodic Business Forums in Ghana and Pakistan.”

Through the Ambassador of New Zealand, Mark Ramsden, President Akufo-Addo once again conveyed a message of true condolence to the government and people of New Zealand on the Christchurch attacks.

Ambassador Ramsden congratulated Ghana’s efforts towards combating the threat of climate change and noted the co-operative relationship between the climate change teams of both nations.

“The Republic of Ghana and New Zealand are at opposite ends of the earth; we enjoy warm relations. Our shared Commonwealth heritage is an important part of our relationship and my Government looks forward to working with you in the lead up to the 2020 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Kigali.” He noted.