The Korean government yesterday donated 22 Kia vehicles to support Ghana host the 2023 UN Peacekeeping meeting in Accra in December.
The vehicles including 12 protocol vehicles and 10 vans would facilitate the movement of the diplomats during their stay in the country.
Receiving the vehicles in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, commended the Korean government for the gesture and said “The occasion symbolises the strength of the relations between our dear country and the Republic of Korea and further underscores the importance we attach to our longstanding friendship”.
According to her since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1977, both countries had leveraged their shared values and principles to propel the partnerships forged, both bilaterally and within the multilateral space, to new heights.
“The conscious efforts we have taken to expand the depth and frontiers of our relations have yielded significant dividends, with the deepening of cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, human resource, infrastructure development and agriculture, among others,” she said.
Ms Ayorkor Botchwey said the myriad of projects financed by the Korea Exim Bank in the last three decades, following its establishment in the country had impacted growth and development in many sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
According to her the water supply rehabilitation and expansion projects in Wa and the power projects in Kumasi were examples of some projects the Republic of Korea had undertaken in the country.
“The Republic of Korea has been supporting Ghana in building 22 elementary schools in the Eastern Region, providing One million US Dollars’ worth of medical equipment for maternal health, and designing a strategic development plan for a new town in Ahanta, Western Region.
“These projects have been instrumental in accelerating the transformational agenda of the Government of Ghana,” she said.
The Korea Ambassador, Mr Jung-Taek Lim, said his country would provide full support for the successful completion of this year’s conference.
She said Korea would continue to expand cooperation with Ghana in the United Nations and other international fora.
“With this close collaboration between the two countries, I’m sure that this year’s conference, the first UN Peacekeeping Ministerial to be held on the African continent, will serve as a platform to further strengthen UN peacekeeping,” he said.
BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG
