President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo received the letters of credentials from four envoys representing Switzerland, Botswana, New Zealand and Pakistan respectively at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.
The four envoys, at separate meetings with the President, expressed their commitments to deepen the bond of friendship between Ghana and their respective countries.
They expressed interest in deepening corporation in the areas of trade, investment and technical cooperation.
The new Pakistani High Commissioner to Ghana, Major General Rtd. Wagar Ahmad Kinggravi was particularly interested in building a cordial diplomatic relations between his country and Ghana.
He said the government of Pakistan was committed to fostering its economic, social and political relations with Ghana.
“Our two great people are well familiar with each other’s system and ways of business and trade. We can share our experience in agriculture, education, medical, and information Technology, Engineering and military fields”, Maj. Gen Kingravi said.
He said the Pakistani government was eager to invite Ghanaians to take advantage of the conducive environment in textiles, cement and whole range of agro based industries.
“We would also like to participate in joint ventures in the field of fertilizer and oil/gas development,” he said
The Pakistani envoy who also has a concurrent accreditation to Gabon, Cameroon, Benin and Equatorial Guinea since 2018, commended President Akufo-Addo’s leadership, which he said had buttressed global acceptance of Ghana as one of the most stable democracies in Africa.
The Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Philip Stadler, on his part was positive that the bond between Ghana and Switzerland that dated back many years would blossom into a more fruitful relation.
He noted the excellent economic cooperation between the two countries since 2002, hoping that his stay in Ghana would contribute to the diversification and deepening of trade and bilateral ties.
Mr Stadler said although Swiss companies ran their business and investment decisions very independently from the government, that fact would not interfere with the overall quest to deepen trade relations between the two countries.
He commended President Akufo-Addo for the impressive and sustainable economic development in Ghana, adding, “I am impressed about the economic development in the last decade and the growth forecast for 2019. Ghana gained Middle income country status, sound and prudent macroeconomic policies and a strong private sector”
New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Mark Ramsden, assured of his country’s commitment to tighten trade and economic cooporation with Ghana.
“New Zealand sees the scope to deepen trade and economic cooperation and links amongst Commonwealth members, he said, stating that his country would pursue relentlessly that agenda at this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government’s meeting.
Ambassador Pule Batimanki Mphothew of Botswana told the President that Ghana was a strategic development partner to his country.
He said even though bilateral relations between the two nations was excellent, there was need to further strengthen that cooperation to move both countries to a higher level of development.
President Akufo-Addo said Ghana placed high value on its relations with the four countries and added that the content of the relations should be transformed and strengthened through trade for the mutual benefits of their citizens.
He urged the envoys to push for their countries to increase their investments in Ghana and get their businesses communities with local industries to add value to Ghana’s raw materials to boost the country’s industrialisation drive
BY YAW KYEI