Mills calls for greater economic co-operation between African nations
He assured the diplomatic community in Ghana that Government was creating a new and better environment in the interest of economic alliance with the ideals of the African Union for mutual benefits.
President Mills made the call when four new ambassadors, three from African countries and one from Sweden, accredited to Ghana, presented their “Letters of Credence” to the President at the Osu Castle in Accra.
They were Mr Cecil Holmes, Zambia’s Ambassador; Mr Ackah Emmanuel Auguste, Cote d’Ivoire Ambassador; Ms Angela B. Colley, Gambian Ambassador and Mr Per Lingarde; Sweden Ambassador.
President Mills reminded the African Ambassadors that with the liberation struggle for political emancipation over, the focus was now on the promotion of economic partnerships on the Continent to promote intra African trade and investment.
The President congratulated them on their appointments.
President Mills said Ghana’s relationship with Zambia dated back to the 1950’s and 1960’s during the African liberation struggle when Ghana’s first President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and his counterpart Dr Kenneth Kaunda played very prominent roles.
He expressed appreciation to the Zambian Government for naming a Training College after Dr Nkrumah.
Ambassador Holmes, expressed appreciation to the Government and people of Ghana for the warm reception and hospitality accorded him since his arrival in Ghana four months ago.
He said with oil find in Zambia, both countries would work together and share experiences in the oil industry.
President Mills, speaking French, said ‘’je vous remercie’ to warmly welcome Mr Auguste, the new Ivorian Ambassador to the Castle.
He expressed appreciation to President Laurent Gbagbo for the warm reception accorded him during a working visit to La Cote D’Ivoire last April.
President Mills commended the brotherly ties between the two countries, and called for enhanced co-operation between the two neighbouring countries which had a lot in common in terms of resources and convergence.
He praised the Ivorian Government on the success so far achieved in its electoral process.
Mr Auguste, a professional banker, agriculturalist, and Inspector General of the Methodist Conference in La Cote d’Ivoire, prayed for God to allow the duty tour strengthen the relations between the two countries.
He said his country would count on the support of Ghana to get to the end of its electoral process.
President Mills told the Gambian Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Colley that the two countries should put the unfortunate incidents of the disappearance of some Ghanaians in Gambia for which the two nations had signed a Memorandum of Understanding behind them and forge ahead in unity.
The President asked Ms Colley to work very hard to remove any lingering doubt in the minds of the people and work to improve the relations between the two nations.
At the turn of the Swedish Ambassador Lingarde, who was accompanied by Mr Amarkai Amarteifio, Consular General of Sweden in Ghana, President Mills, thanked the Swedish Kingdom as Ghana’s benefactor and for its budgetary support.
President Mills congratulated Sweden for assuming the Presidency of the European Union and said Ghana was ready to collaborate with Sweden in the energy sector, and called for increased Swedish investment in Ghana.
Mr Lingarde pledged to improve the bilateral relations between the two countries, adding Sweden was working on addressing the global financial crisis and climate change.
Source: GNA