Ghana and Gabon enter new phase of strategic cooperation
Ghana and Gabon have entered a new phase of their strategic cooperation with the signing of two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in Accra.
The MoUs, which were reached during a three-day state visit to Ghana by Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema at the invitation of President John Dramani Mahama, included an MoU on Political Consultations.
There was also an MoU on Cooperation in Diplomat's Training between the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana and the Institute of Diplomatic Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in charge of Integration and the Diaspora of Gabon.
The MoUs were signed by Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mrs Marie-Edith Tassyla-Ye-Doumbeneny, Gabon Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in charge of Integration and the Diaspora on behalf of their respective countries.
A communique read by Mr Ablakwa said the official visit was conducted in the spirit of the longstanding friendship and cordial relations between Ghana and Gabon.
The visit was aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including political and diplomatic consultations, trade and investment, mining, energy, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, maritime affairs, transport, tourism, education, health, defence and security cooperation, environmental protection, climate action, and people-to-people exchanges.
During the visit, the two Heads of State held a tête-à-tête meeting, followed by official bilateral talks at the Jubilee House in Accra.
The two leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation and to promote sustainable economic development for the mutual benefit of their people.
The two Heads of State reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction with the warm ties between Ghana and Gabon.
They acknowledged the considerable potential to expand cooperation and agreed to intensify engagement to translate political relations between the two countries into tangible economic partnerships.
The two Heads of State underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral trade and investment, encouraged the relevant institutions and the private sectors of both countries to explore opportunities to expand commercial exchanges, industrial cooperation, and value addition.
They reaffirmed their commitment to leveraging the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to facilitate intra-African trade and economic integration.
They reaffirmed their commitment to the objectives of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recognising the importance of collective African action to promote peace, sustainable development, and shared prosperity.
The two Heads of State exchanged views on regional, continental, and international developments.
They reaffirmed their commitment to the purposes and principles of the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the United Nations Charter, and pledged to continue working together to promote peace, security, constitutional governance, democracy, the rule of law and sustainable development on the African continent.
The two leaders underscored the need for African communities to collectively shun and decisively address xenophobic attacks and all forms of discrimination that threatens the cohesion and shared progress of the continent.
They reiterated their commitment to maintaining close consultation and coordination within the African Union, the United Nations, the African Continental Free Trade Area framework, and other multilateral fora on issues of common interest, with the aim of advancing Africa's collective interests.
President John Dramani Mahama commended the ongoing efforts of the Government of Gabon towards national development, economic transformation, and regional stability.
President Nguema, for his part, commended Ghana's continued commitment to democratic governance, regional peace, and African integration.
During the visit, President Nguema took part in a tree planting ceremony at Jubilee House, symbolising the enduring friendship between Ghana and Gabon.
He also visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where he paid tribute to the memory and enduring legacy of Ghana's first President and a leading champion of Pan-Africanism.
The two Heads of State expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the official visit and reaffirmed their determination to further deepen bilateral relations by implementing the understandings reached during their discussions and by sustaining engagement between the relevant institutions of both countries.
President Mahama expressed his sincere appreciation to President Nguema for making time to undertake the visit to Ghana.
President Nguema expressed his profound appreciation to President Mahama, the Government, and the People of Ghana, for the warm welcome, generous hospitality and excellent arrangements made for him and his delegation throughout the visit.
He extended an invitation to President Mahama to undertake an official visit to Gabon at a mutually convenient date, which President Mahama accepted with appreciation.
GNA