Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister to hold bilateral talks with Akufo-Addo
The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry is scheduled to hold talks with President Nana Akufo-Addo on ways to improve bilateral relations between the two countries today (Wednesday, May 10 2017), in Accra.
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A statement signed by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Abu Zeid, said Mr Shoukry will also meet with Ghana's Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye during his stay in the country.
According to Mr Zeid, the visit is part of Egypt's efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with African countries and stems from historical ties that bind Egypt and Ghana.
The minister’s meetings with Ghanaian officials will also include consultations on a number of regional and international issues of common concern.
Mr Shoukry arrived in the country earlier today and has already met with Samia Nkrumah, the daughter of the first president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah and his Egyptian wife Fathia Rizk.
Mr Shoukry in a conversation with Samia Nkrumah
Below is the entire statement on the Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister's visit;
Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will head to Ghana’s Capital, Accra on May 10th in a bilateral visit to discuss relations between the two countries and means to develop them in all fields, and to hold consultations on a number of regional and international questions of common interest.
The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Counselor Ahmed Abu Zeid, said that, during the visit, Minister Shoukry will deliver a message from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on means to enhance bilateral relations. He will also meet with Ghana’s Foreign Minister and the Parliament Speaker.
Abu Zeid indicated that the visit takes place within the framework of Egypt's relentless efforts to strengthen bilateral relations with African countries and stemming from historical ties that bind Egypt and Ghana.
The Spokesperson noted that the Egyptian-Ghanaian relations date back to the period of national liberation across the African continent in the 1950s, as Egypt played a prominent role in supporting our African brothers get their independence, mainly Ghana led by the venerable leader Kwame Nkrumah. It is worth noting that Ghana was one of the African countries that first gained independence in 1957.
Abu Zeid added that bilateral relations with Ghana are considered a model for bilateral Egyptian-African relations, given that Egyptian investments in Ghana exceed one billion dollars via the major Egyptian companies operating in many fields such as infrastructure, constructions, and power generation.
Egypt and Ghana are currently seeking to activate the Joint Committee in order to increase trade exchange in accordance with their historical bilateral relations, as cooperation between the two countries includes several areas, such as cooperation in security, counter-terrorism, health, information and communications technology, agriculture, irrigation, fish resources, education, and culture.
The Spokesperson affirmed that communication between the two sides has continued intensively along the past years, with visits to Ghana by the Assistant to the President of the Republic for National and Strategic Projects, the Deputy Foreign Minister for African Affairs, and the Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs, while Egypt has received the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, and Inspector General of Ghana Police, as well as the joint meeting between the two Heads of State on the sidelines of the AU Summit in Kigali in 2016.
