Presidents Akufo-Addo and Muhamadu Buhari at the AU Summit
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has told the African Union’s (AU) Assembly of Heads of State and Government that office accommodation and related infrastructure for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) are ready.
He was updating his fellow heads of state during the closed session of the 33rd AU Summit yesterday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Ghana, after being selected as host country for the Secretariat, he said was “directed to work with the AU Commission to ensure an expeditious and efficient process of establishing a permanent Secretariat for the AfCFTA in Accra by March 31, 2020.”
The reconfiguration of the office premises based on the specific requirements agreed with the AU Commission, among them, the installation of critical data and IT infrastructure facilities, security systems, office furnishing and corporate branding of the AfCFTA office complex have been completed. The March ending deadline he assured his colleagues would be met.
Continuing, he said “the initiation of negotiations with real estate companies for residential accommodation for other AfCFTA staff” were on.
In addition to the finalization of arrangements of health and educational facilities for AfCFTA management and staff, the President stated that a dedicated booth at the Kotoka International Airport, to facilitate entry and exit requirements of AfCFTA officials, as well as representatives of member states who would be conducting official business with the AfCFTA Secretariat, had been secured.
“The Government of Ghana sponsored six different meetings of the AfCFTA in December 2019 in Accra. Thus by far, a total amount of three million dollars has been advanced by the Government of Ghana for the establishment and operationalization of the AfCFTA Secretariat,” President Akufo-Addo added.
He had earlier held a meeting with Member States of the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS).
With Ghana serving as Chair of COMSATS, the President told heads of state and representatives of 27 member states that the purpose of the meeting was to ensure that member states recommitted themselves to the work of COMSATS and to reposition the commission to support the collective drive for development, leveraging science, technology and innovation.
“In the 25 years of its existence, COMSATS has played a lead role in cultivating an enhanced culture of scientific and technological co-operation amongst its members, through capacity building, education and research and development,” he said.