Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and her host
Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (MP) has hinted of a renewed commitment by Ghana and Tunisia to set a new agenda for deepened engagement at all levels, particularly within the area of economic cooperation.
The minister made the pronouncement when she arrived in the Republic of Tunisia to begin a two-day official visit – a historic one in 40 years by a Ghanaian Foreign Minister to the historic oil-rich nation.
Her visit is at the invitation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tunisia, H.E. Mr. Khemaies Jhinaoui.
The Ghanaian Foreign Minister is expected to
hold discussions with her Tunisian counterpart and sign some agreements with
her host during the period.
The minister will also hold discussions with the
Tunisian Ministers of Trade and Industry to explore areas of possible
collaboration for mutual benefits, while engaging in a touristic and cultural
visit to the Sidi Bou Said, a village laden with history and spirituality.
It would be recalled the visit to Accra by a 26-member Tunisian business delegation led by the Secretary of State to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Hatem Ferjani from 13 – 17th January 2019, and the useful engagement that took place with the business community of Ghana during the mission.
Some of the important matters discussed during that visit included the intention to boost connectivity between Accra and Tunis through direct air links by Air Tunis and a direct shipping line to the Port of Tema which, according to Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, would dominate discussions among other pertinent issues.
The historical ties that exist between Ghana and Tunisia date back to the post-independence era, especially between Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and former President Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia in the best traditions of Pan-Africanism.