|
UK-Ghana to launch a new 10
year-development partnership-Blair
From Kwaku Osei Bonsu, GNA Special Correspondent, London
London, March 15 GNA - The United Kingdom (UK) is to launch
a new 10-year development partnership with Ghana in reward
for the country's good democratic governance and prudent
economic policies, Prime Minister Tony Blair, announced at
the 10 Downing Street on Wednesday.
The programme, which would come on-stream, next year, would
provide the opportunity for the UK to improve the quality of
its development assistance to Ghana.
Mr Blair was addressing a joint press conference with
President John Agyekum Kufuor, after bilateral talks during
which, the two leaders reviewed the relations between their
countries.
They also used the opportunity to look extensively at
broader issues outside their relations, such as the
conflicts in Darfur, Somalia and other troubled spots in
Africa.
Prime Minister Blair noted that President Kufuor has
demonstrated strong leadership and shown remarkable
capability to make optimal use of financial support to his
country to fight poverty and raise the quality of life of
the people.
Ghana is showing how democracy can work and is an example to
the rest of Africa, he said.
He paid tribute to Ghana for the role it was playing to
bring peace and political stability to the Continent.
The UK, he stated, cherished its relations with Ghana and
would remain its strong partner.
Responding to a question on the situation in Zimbabwe, Mr
Blair said, what was happening there was truly tragic and
expressed his country's determination to work with the
African Union (AU) to bring normalcy to that country.
"I feel sorry for the people in Zimbabwe. What is happening
to Zimbabwe is a tragedy."
On Darfur, he called on the international community to send
a strong signal to the Sudan Government that it was prepared
to take decisive action.
What is taking place in Darfur is scandalous and must be put
on the agenda of the international community, he added.
President Kufuor said he welcomed the UK's special long-term
partnership arrangement planned for Ghana and that the
vision of the country was to achieve middle income status.
This, he said, would require adding value to its products
through industrialisation, modernising its agriculture and
entering into joint economic ventures.
President Kufuor said Ghana was therefore ready to receive
investors and business people who wanted to re-locate their
businesses there.
Answering questions from Journalists on conflicts in Africa,
President Kufuor, who is the AU Chairman, said in the spirit
of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD),
they wanted the rule of the law to take firm root in the
Continent.
Allowing the Constitution to work is the way forward and not
violence.
He gave the assurance that the AU would not give up in its
efforts at bring peace to Somalia, Darfur and restive spots
in Africa.
GNA
|
