Mr Kofi Adda (right) welcoming Ms Maria de Los Arrirola Aguirre to his office.
Ghana and Mexico have exchanged proposals for signing of an Air Services Agreement between them.
The proposals follow earlier discussions between the former Minister of Aviation, Cecilia Dapaah and the Mexican Ambassador, Maria de los Angeles Arriola Aguirre, on a strategy that would allow a direct flight arrangement to and from both countries.
At a meeting in Accra on Thursday with the Mexican Ambassador, Minister of Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda said as part of government’s plans to transform Ghana into an aviation hub, it was initiating strategic partnerships with other countries that would facilitate movement of people and improve trade.
The agreement, he said would among other things, ensure that passengers from Ghana to Mexico and vice versa, did not have to transit through the United States, Brazil or any other country before arriving at Mexico.
He said the government planned to fast-track all necessary processes to enable that came into effect by December.
Mr Adda said the government was working toward establishing a home-based carrier and was currently investing in upgrading the necessary aviation infrastructure.
He explained that the government would continue to build partnerships with Mexico in improving other sectors of the Ghanaian economy, including agriculture and tourism and implementing policies geared toward poverty alleviation.
On her part, Madam Arriola Aguirre said Mexico would in 2021, open its new international airport with a capacity of 95 million visitors per year, at a cost of about US$ 13 billion.
As partners, she stated that both countries must start preparations to give way for the direct flight to happen, in the light of expansion of infrastructure in the aviation industry.
In the meantime, the Ambassador said airline companies could be brought on board in the initial stages of preparations to ensure smooth take-off of the agreement.
She said the Mexican government was convinced with the government’s agenda to build a Ghana Beyond Aid and reiterated its commitment to support Ghana to realise the objective.
By Claude Nyarko Adams
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