President Akufo-Addo and Olaf Scholz (left), German Chancellor departing the KAIPTC after a meeting
The governments of Ghana and Germany have decided to strengthen existing relations between the two countries.
This will be in the areas of trade, investment and security.
Leaders of the two countries, President Akufo-Addo and Olaf Scholz made the commitment when the latter called on the former at the Jubilee House (presidency) yesterday as part of his three-nation tour of the West African region.
While at the Jubilee House, Chancellor Scholz and his delegation held a bilateral meeting with President Akufo-Addo and other high-ranking officials of the administration after the two leaders had a tete-a-tete meeting.
President Akufo-Addo and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, also led their delegations to meet business leaders from Germany and Ghana, with the aim of fostering trade and economic relations between German and Ghanaian businesses.
After the series of meetings and photo opportunities, the two leaders held a joint press conference.
President Akufo-Addo later hosted the German leader and members of his delegation to lunch.
In his speech to propose a toast at the ceremony, President Akufo-Addo expressed appreciation to the German Chancellor for choosing Ghana as one of three countries he is visiting during his tour of the West Africa region.
For him, it was none but an honour for Ghana to have two successive German Chancellors visit the country during his tenure as President of the republic.
He recounted the strong economic and trade ties that exist between Ghana and Germany, which he said has become evident in the number of German companies coming to Ghana with others also having expressed the desire to do so.
Chief among them, he said was Volkswagen (VW), which has established an assembling plant in Ghana and producing cars.
President Akufo-Addo therefore gave his word, “we will continue to create and maintain a conducive investment atmosphere that will not only guarantee the safety of their investments, but good returns on investments as well.”
His reason was “we in Ghana are determined to see the rebound of our economy which has been ravaged like all nations by the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
“Our focus is to continue to build a value-added industrialised economy with a modernised agriculture which will enable us to reach our destination of ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’. I am happy that our relations with Germany are now being focused on an increase in trade and investment cooperation,” he added.
Terrorism Fight
On the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and other socio-economic challenges bedevilling Ghana and the rest of the African continent, President Akufo-Addo said Ghana and for that matter, the rest of Africa is determined to win the fight.
“[We] will continue to collaborate with the Federal Republic of Germany at the bilateral and multilateral levels in finding solutions to challenges such as widespread poverty, irregular migration, insecurity and human rights violations, terrorism, violent extremism, human and drug trafficking, piracy as well as climate change and its attendant impact on the environment and livelihoods,” was how he put it.
In a brief statement in English before turning to his native Deutsch language, Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed delight in the visit to Ghana since it is his first time in the country.
He is therefore looking forward to developing a strong bond of friendship between Ghana and Germany beyond the current state of relations between the two countries.
“It is a pleasure for me to visit your country and to engage with you and your government in talks on subjects of common interest. It is my first time in Ghana and I look forward to experiencing the beauty and generosity of Ghana,” he said.
The German Chancellor will also visit Benin and Nigeria.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent