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Intergovernmental negotiations open between
Ghana-Germany
Accra, Sept. 13, Ghanadot/GNA - The biennial bilateral
negotiations on cooperation between Ghana and Germany opened
in Accra on Thursday with a promise by the Ghana government
to continue to pursue policies that would stabilize the
economy and maintain the pace of GDP growth.
Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic
Planning, said government would also continue to remain
steadfast in its commitment to systematically reduce poverty
through the implementation of the Growth and Poverty
Reduction Strategy (GPRS) with the ultimate goal of
achieving broad-based sustainable and equitable growth.
"Over the last three years economic growth has exceeded six
per cent," he said, adding that Ghana had been rated the
most peaceful nation in Africa, while it had a sovereign
credit rating of "B Plus".
"It is the fastest reforming nation on the continent and the
ninth in the world in terms of the creation of a conducive
environment for doing business."
The Minister said Government would remain committed to those
policies that had brought the nation this far.
Mr. Baah-Wiredu, praising the Federal Republic of Germany
for its support, said it was one of Ghana's key bilateral
development partners in terms of volume, quality and
diversity of development assistance.
"The German government, besides funds made available
directly under our bilateral cooperation, has also been
contributing significantly towards our development through
the European Union and other multilateral agencies."
He said Germany had been one of the advocates for Ghana in
several international fora whenever Ghana came up for
discussion.
Mr. Baah-Wiredu said: "Germany has contributed over one
billion Euros for projects in key sectors of the Ghanaian
economy in the context of our financial and technical
cooperation."
He mentioned some of the notable projects as the
rehabilitation of Tema-Akosombo road, the rehabilitation of
Tema-Sogakope road, district capital/town project, rural
water supply project, water supply in Eastern and Volta
Regions and Village Infrastructure Project.
"Currently, the focal areas of cooperation between the
Government of Ghana and Government of Federal Republic of
Germany are agriculture and food security; employment
oriented private sector; and democracy, good governance and
decentralization."
Mr Baah-Wiredu said the outstanding issues to be discussed
included the rural feeder roads and bridges, whose project
documents were yet to be submitted to government for
processing through parliament, and micro finance, whose
draft agreements had already been discussed and forwarded to
the German agency involved for incorporation into the final
document.
Mr Baah-Wiredu expressed the hope that this year's biennial
bilateral negotiations would provide the needed support to
the key project areas and further broaden and deepen the
cordial relations between Ghana and Germany.
Professor George Gyan-Baffour, Deputy Minister, Finance, is
leading the Ghanaian delegation, whilst Mr Niels Breyer,
Head of Central and West African Division of the German
Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is leading the
German delegation.
Mr Bryer said Ghana would continue to be one of the most
important partners for German development cooperation in the
sub-region.
"We will also continue to directly support your budget
within the framework of multi-donor budget support," he
said.
Mr. Breyer said Germany at the last G8 summit announced an
increase in the scale of its development cooperation with
Africa by 750 million Euros per year from 2008 to 2011.
"This is nearly a doubling of the current volume. This shows
clearly that Africa and Ghana's development really matter to
us.... in our view the cooperation between our two countries
is particularly lively and excellent."
Dr Marius Haas, German Ambassador in Ghana, said the German
Government and its people were following closely the heavy
flooding in the northern parts of Ghana.
He said under the country's instant emergency reaction funds
a commitment of 50,000 Euros was made on Wednesday to
government to provide food to displaced persons in Upper
East Region.
GNA
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