Ghana's president calls for renewed ties with France

01 Décembre 2017

Accra, Ghana, December 1 (Infosplusgabon) -  Ghana's President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said on Thursday that his country stands ready to renew and deepen its ties with France, for the progress and prosperity of their peoples.

To this end, President Akufo-Addo said, “we want our relations with France to be characterized by an increase in trade and investment co-operation, not aid”.

“This is the way to develop healthy relations between our two countries, and put Ghana at the high end of the value chain in the global market place, and create jobs for the teeming masses of Ghanaians, particularly the youth. Our vision is to build a free, prosperous, independent country, a Ghana Beyond Aid.”

He was speaking in Accra during a one-day visit to Ghana by the French president on the last leg of a three-nation West African tour that also took him to Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire.

Recounting the bonds of friendship that exist between the two countries, President Akufo-Addo indicated that Ghana and France had strong ties in trade, investments, civil and security co-operation, amongst others, with statistics indicating that French investments in Ghana totalled €1.5 billion in 2015, making Ghana the seventh-biggest destination of French investments in sub-Saharan Africa.

President Akufo-Addo said Ghana’s strategic interest required that she actively promoted regional integration of the countries of West Africa.

"We have to play a central role in hastening the process of creating a genuine regional market out of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), which is dominated by francophone countries.”

He said the integration of West Africa would provide a ready market for the free movement of goods and services, critical in Ghana’s quest to transform and modernize the economy.

President Akufo-Addo assured President Macron that Ghana stood shoulder to shoulder with France in the promotion of human rights in Africa, the rejection of terrorism as a legitimate means of resolving political issues, and in attempting to develop their economies to provide opportunities for their citizens to fulfill their aspirations, especially the youth.

He also expressed the appreciation of the Ghanaian people to France’s "courageous commitment" and participation in the fight against terrorism in Mali and the rest of the Sahel, which has brought President Macron to the region three times within this short period of 6 months of his administration.

President Macron on his part said Africa and Europe should forge stronger partnership with Europe to solve some of the problems they faced.

He said neither continent could do it alone hence the need for a partnership.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/ASE/GABON 2017

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