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Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, designated Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, has asked Serbian investors to come and invest in Ghana.
The foreign minister-designate made the appeal on Tuesday, when Djura Likar, Serbian ambassador to Ghana, paid her a courtesy visit in Accra.
He noted that although bilateral trade between the two countries was modest, he hoped it would improve with the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which would create a huge market of 1.2 billion people, an opportunity. for Serbian investors to explore new opportunities on the African continent, with Ghana as the entry point.
He urged Serbian investors to take advantage of the development, identify their areas of interest and use the enabling business environment in Ghana as a springboard to access the mainland market.
He mentioned the need for countries like Serbia to act as advocates for developing countries like Ghana to have access to affordable vaccines in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic that had severely hit the world economy and stated that it is up to countries to use traditional friendships to jointly fight the pandemic.
Ms Ayorkor Botchwey further commended the Serbian Government for its continued collaboration with Ghana and for providing vital support to Africa on the very important issue of UN Security Council reform.
He recalled that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was instrumental in the processes that led to the Ezulwini Consensus and expressed the hope that Ghana will continue to count on the support of Serbia to achieve consensus and work closely to advance the negotiations, but in the future. correct address.
He stated that Ghana looked forward to working closely with Serbia on the issue of revitalizing the work of the General Assembly during the negotiations at the upcoming 75th session.
Ms. Ayorkor Botchwey recognized the excellent tradition of cooperation and support of each other’s candidates for positions in various multilateral institutions and expressed the hope that both countries will continue to cooperate and support each other in that regard.
She said that in the spirit of the aforementioned tradition, she requested support for Ghana’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2022 to 2023 and Ghana’s candidacy for membership of the Board on Narcotic Drugs. of the United Nations for the period 2022 to 2025, as well as to be a member of the International Narcotics Control Board for the period 2022 to 2027.
The Foreign Minister-designate reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to enhancing the warm relations between Ghana and Serbia for mutual benefit.
He noted that the friendship and cooperation between Ghana and Serbia, particularly in recent times, has been marked by the exchange of notable high-level visits such as the visit to Belgrade by former Parliament Speaker Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye in 2018 and the visit to Belgrade in 2019 by herself as Minister of Foreign Affairs, testifies to the growing exchanges between the two countries.
He expressed the hope that high-level visits will increase in the coming years to facilitate closer cooperation and give further impetus to common efforts to deepen and broaden relations and cooperation in various fields for the mutual benefit of the people of Ghana. and Serbia.
Ms Ayorkor Botchwey expressed her appreciation to the Government of Serbia for its continued support to Ghana’s human resource development by offering Government of Serbia scholarships to Ghanaian students to pursue various undergraduate and graduate programs at Serbian universities.
He applauded the Government of Serbia for the 12 scholarship places offered to Ghanaian students for the academic year 2021, for deciding to extend the deadline for submission of applications for Ghana and stated that the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat is working assiduously to present the names of selected beneficiaries. students for presentation to Serbian authorities.
He congratulated Mr. Likar on taking the time to come to Accra to sympathize with the family of the late Mr. Steve Mawuenyega, who until his death on January 12, was the Honorary Consul of Serbia in Ghana.
He stated that the late Mr. Mawuenyega, during his tenure, worked assiduously to strengthen relations between the two countries, which have been enduring, warm and cordial since the establishment of diplomatic relations in the 1950s.
Mr. Likar suggested the creation of a group of parliamentary friends between the two nations as part of strengthening their relationship.
He noted that his Government would continue with the scholarship scheme so that more Ghanaian students could study in Serbia.
—GNA
