By Adu Koranteng
Ghana and India have signed a memorandum of understanding to improve bilateral ties on technical and cultural cooperation.
The two countries signed another agreement to ensure that goods produced for the international markets meet the required standards. This development took place when Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey met with the Indian minister for external affairs, Madam Sushma Swaraj in Delhi, the capital of India.
Ghana and India have had a long standing relations which is over six decades. The ties have led to the visit of high level delegations from both countries. The latest visit of Ghana’s top diplomat, madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey to Delhi is at instance of her Indian counterpart, Madam Sushma Swaraj.
High on the agenda was the signing of memoranda of understanding covering technical and cultural cooperation as well as improving standards of goods produced for the international market. The minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey signed the MOU on technical and cultural cooperation while Ghana’s high commissioner to India, Mr Mike Ocquaye Junior initialed the MOU on standards.
The two countries also resolved to support each other’s candidature for the UN Security Council. Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey described the bilateral talks in Delhi as fruitful and said it would go a long way to bolster socio-economic development of Ghana and India. She said India has agreed to support Ghana to train her youth to acquire technical and vocational skills.
She explained that the exponential growth being witnessed in the Indian economy is largely due to the development of her small, medium scale enterprises which is hinged on technical and vocational training.
The Indian external affairs Minister, Madam Sushma Swaraj said India is ready to support Ghana to achieve her dream of adding value to her raw materials. One major issue that cropped up during the bilateral talks was the Komenda sugar factory and the need to plant sugar cane to supply the factory with raw materials.
Ghana assured India that due to the IMF extended credit facility it will be difficult at the moment to go for commercial loan to undertake the project and will wait till she exit the programme in next year.
The Eximbank of India gave a loan of 34 million dollars to Ghana government to construct the Komenda sugar factory. Ghana under the leadership of President Akufo Addo aims at changing the economic structure of the country through industrialization. Policies rolled out to drive these goals are the planting for food and jobs, one district one factory, one village one dam as well infrastructural development.
