Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration yesterday held an interactive sessions with regional deans and chairpersons of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ambassadors to deepen Ghana’s bilateral relations with various countries in the region.
The interaction was also to assess their cooperation and work during the year to exchange views on possible areas of further cooperation and create conducive environment and favourable business climate among them.
In her address, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey said the ministry had witnessed a more robust engagement at both bilateral and multilateral levels.
This, she said has helped the country realise the government’s vision of economic development and prosperity for all Ghanaians.
According her, the country’s foreign policy objectives emphasised economic diplomacy through which “ we have supported national efforts to diversify and increased Ghana’s export base.”
She explained that it had also drawn in foreign investment and promoted tourism and hospitality, saying the re-establishment of the Economic, Trade and Investment bureau at the ministry had been instrumental in achieving the objective.
She said in 2018, the country witnessed high level visits which were aimed at deepening Ghana’s bilateral relations with various countries across the region.
Madam Botchwey stated that so far only seven countries including Ghana had deposited their instruments of ratification of agreement with regards to the African Continental Free Trade Area.
She said it was the hope of Ghana that the 15 more member states would ratify and deposits their instruments of ratification to enable the agreement come into force to achieve continental unity.
In 2019, she said Ghana would engage more countries in and Asia and Pacific areas to explore further areas of cooperation.
Madam Botchwey indicated that Ghana would hold political consultations with Switzerland, France, Latvia and Lithuania and open resident mission in Oslow, Norway next year.
“We are also looking to organise high level visits which are aimed at further deepening our engagements with Europe,” she added.
She said Ghana was also working to establish a resident diplomatic mission in Mexico and also hoping to finalise arrangements to apply for observer status of the Pacific Alliance adding that “ we believe these initiatives will enhance Ghana’s presence and visibility on the continent.”
The Dean of Diplomatic Corps Bernard Ehui-Koutoua thanked the ministry for initiating the interaction session and hoped for a fruitful deliberation.
BY JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU
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