Prez Mahama, Emir of Qatar hold talks
President John Dramani Mahama yesterday held talks with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, at the Emiri Diwan Palace in the capital, Doha, at the start of a three-day state visit to that country.
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The visit to the oil and natural gas rich peninsula state was at the invitation of the Emir.
The bilateral discussions with the 34-year-old Emir, who rules over the economically powerful state of a little over two million people, centred on strengthening relations between the two countries, investment in Ghana, especially in the energy sector, sports, the development of agriculture, as well as the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in parts of West Africa.
President Mahama, who was accorded a royal welcome at the palace, inspected a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of the Qatari Royal Guard, after the National Anthems of Ghana and Qatar had been played.
He also had lunch with the Emir after the meeting.
Ghana has been going through challenges in the power sector and the government has been working around the clock to overcome them.
The government sees Qatar as a potentially strong ally in that respect.
Qatar, the world's leading exporter of liquefied natural gas (LGN) and one of a top oil producer, is a big player in the Arab world as a result of its enormous financial power.
Briefing
Briefing journalists after the talks, the Presidential Spokesman, Mr Ben Dotse Malor, said President Mahama touched on how Ghana could tap into Qatar’s vast expertise and experience in the oil and gas sector.
He said President Mahama told his host that Ghana would want to see the supply of Qatari LNG to the country, as well as investments in power generation.
Again, the President called on Qatar to invest in Ghana’s integrated bauxite-to-aluminium industry.
Sheikh Hamad
Sheikh Hamad, Mr Malor said, expressed his country’s interest in investing in Ghana's tourism, hospitality, aviation and agricultural sectors.
He also touched on his country's interest in developing an educational city in Ghana akin to what pertained in Qatar.
He said the Emir, who also discussed sports with his guest, recalled the great contributions Ghana’s Abedi Pele made to the development of football in Qatar when he played club football in that country in the 1980s.
The footballer is in the President's delegation.
President Mahama was accompanied by Ghana’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who has oversight responsibility for Qatar, Alhaji Said Sinare; a Senior Presidential Advisor, Alhaji Baba Camara; the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Collins Dauda; the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, who is also the Minister designate for Power, Dr Kwabena Donkor, and Dr Raymond Atuguba, the Executive Secretary to the President.