The governments of Ghana and Congo have agreed to put structures in place to create opportunities for trade and commerce between the two countries under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Congolese President, Felix-Antoine TshisekediTshilombo, in bilateral talks at the Jubilee House in Accra, stressed the need for the two countries to deepen their trade relations.
The two leaders believe the AfCFTA which seeks to increase the volume of trade among countries on the continent was a good opportunity trade between Ghana and Congo.
The Congolese President came to Ghana with a delegation yesterday to hold bilateral meetings with the President and top government officials.
He was welcomed with a full Guard of Honour at the forecourt of the Jubilee House, followed by a 21 Gun Salute.
On security, both leaders spoke about the growing threat of terrorism and violent extremism in West Africa and Central Africa and stressed the need to collaborate to fight the menace.
President Tshilombo appealed to President Akufo-Addo to help fight the resurgence of violent extremists in Congo. He entreated Ghana to use its position on the Security Council of the United Nations to help address the situation in Congo.
The two leaders also discussed the need to explore opportunities to collaborate to share experiences from their respective mining industries.
While Ghana is one of the major players in gold mining in Africa, the mining industry of Congo produces copper, diamonds, tantalum, tin and gold among other minerals.
Congo is considered one of the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of untapped resource wealth.
President Akufo-Addo said both countries can share experiences from their mining industries and explore various opportunities to exploit their mining potentials to the benefit of their people.
The two leaders celebrated the bond of friendship their nations have enjoyed over the past decades, beginning from the first President Kwame Nkrumah and Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba and pledged to further deepen the relations.
Present at the bilateral meeting were the Chief of Staff, AkosuaFremaOseiOpare, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley AyorkorBotwey, Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, Minister of National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Abu Jinapor, among other government ministers.
BY YAW KYEI
