Irchad Razaaly
THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) celebrated its annual Europe Day with the Government of Ghana, private sector and civil society partners last Friday in Accra.
The occasion created an opportunity for the two countries to celebrate enduring ties which have spanned 60 years of transformative partnership rooted in shared values of democracy, sustainable development, and inclusive growth.
Addressing dignitaries, EU Ambassador in Ghana, Irchad Razaaly noted that the partnership between Ghana has driven concrete progress in trade, infrastructure, education, health, peace and security, emphasising that under the union’s Global Gateway policy, the EU and member states have invested over €800 million — about 13 billion Ghana cedis in infrastructure.
Also, investments of (€55m) in local vaccine production, the retro-fit of the Kpong dam (€62m), and a projected €370m towards smart and sustainable cities in northern Ghana.
He stated that EU is Ghana’s primary partner on peace and security, delivering critical military equipment under the European Peace Facility, worth another €50 million, while adding that approximately 1,000 Ghanaian students fly over annually to the best universities in Europe with the help of scholarships offered by the EU and its member states.
“The EU remains a credible, reliable and a dependable partner to Ghana. In these turbulent times, it is ever more important to collaborate with like-minded friends and allies. We are here to stay,” he added.
Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, praised the EU’s long-standing partnership with Ghana, highlighting cooperation in critical areas such as trade, green economy, digital innovation, governance, education, and security.
The minister further indicated that the upcoming EU-Ghana Business Forum is an opportunity to strengthen investment relations and foster collaboration.
“The partnership with the EU has been pivotal to Ghana. Together, we advance priorities from education to youth employment and infrastructure, ensuring no one is left behind,” he stated.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke