Ambassador of the UAE to Ghana, H.E. Amer Alalawi delivering the keynote address at the event.
THE EMBASSY of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Ghana, has on behalf of the UAE government, pledged more support for Ghana in key sectors of its economy.
This is with the aim of bolstering the bilateral relations between the two countries while seeking out more mutually beneficial cooperations in various areas.
The pledge was by the Ambassador of the UAE to Ghana, H.E. Amer Alalawi, when the Embassy marked the UAE’s 51st National Day Celebration in Accra over the weekend.
While delivering the keynote address, the Ambassador noted that the celebration of the UAE 51st anniversary would open a “new era in our relationship for the next 50 years, and support the welfare of Ghana for the future generation”.
He stressed that: “Within the next 50 years, the Emirati-Ghanaian relationship will keep growing and prospering” as the relationship between the two nations has reached maturity level in very short time period.
Highlighting evidence of the rapid growth in the bilateral relations between both countries, H.E. Amer Alalawi stressed that “in this year only, non-oil trade between both nations was $2.7 billion, which comes as a 56% increment as compared to the 2019 value.”
Again this year, he revealed, both countries signed five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) which include setting up a Ghana Investment and Promotion Center (GIPC) office in Dubai which would be used to promote and attract investment to Ghana; establish the Emirati-Ghanaian Business Council; enhance economic and technical cooperation; exchange information and technology equipment with investment opportunities between the two countries; and also facilitate and attract investments from the UAE to Ghana.
“With this high acceleration in our relations to become allies striving to achieve remarkable successes, we highlighted this relation by our teamwork as colleagues together to make the world a better place as non-Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council”, he added.
Speaking on behalf of the government of Ghana, the Deputy Minister for Energy, William Owuraku-Aidoo conveyed the “happiest felicitations” of President Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana to the President, government and people of the UAE.
He also extended the appreciation of Ghanaians to the UAE government for the various forms of assistance received over the years including setting up of various health facilities in various parts of the country.
He opined that a lot more needs to be done to further enhance the relationship between the countries especially in the area of trade and therefore invited the UAE to take full advantage of the “endless opportunities” presented by the opening and running of the African Free Trade Continental Area “AfCFTA.”
The celebration of the 51st UAE National Day in Accra was graced by high-profile personalities including the Second Lady of the Republic, Samira Bawumia; the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin; the revered Torgbi Afede, members of the Diplomatic Corps, media personnel among others.
BY Nii Adjei Mensahfio