President Nana Addo Dakwa Akufo-Addo has said to shape Ghana’s future and position Ghanaian enterprises to compete globally, it is imperative to seek the support of countries, including Malta to achieve such an objective.
He said driving investment opportunities, both domestic and foreign, into “our two countries and the need for enhanced cooperation and partnership in our development efforts,” cannot be overemphasised.
President Akufo-Addo said this when he addressed a press conference with his colleague President, Dr George William Vella of Malta accompanied by his wife, Miriam Vella, and a delegation of public servants and private sector who called on him at the Jubilee House, Friday.
President Dr George William Vella arrived in Ghana on Thursday for a three-day state visit.
The two Presidents, after engaging in a tête-à-tête at the Ceremonial Room, held bilateral meetings with their teams behind closed doors and later addressed the Presidential Press Corps.
President Akufo-Addo said the ministerial teams of Ghana and Malta had discussions aimed at strengthening the already cordial relations between the two countries and exploring other areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
The discussions, according to the President, centred on movements and volumes of Trade between the two countries, mutual support for candidates from the two countries vying for positions in international organisations, issues on migration, reform of global governance institutions and the deepening of political consultations on matters of mutual interest to the two countries, amongst others.
As member states of the Commonwealth, he said Ghana and Malta shared similar aspirations and values.
“We have collaborated effectively on several matters over the years, particularly at meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the major outcome of this afternoon’s meeting was the reaffirmation of our commitment to collaborate further and promote mutual support and bilateral and multilateral levels.”
The President of Malta, President Akufo-Addo said, resolved to give voice to Ghana’s course and interest within the European Union (EU).
Ghana on the other hand, he said, would help to facilitate the provision of a platform for enhanced economic engagement between Malta and member countries of ECOWAS, adding: “This should boost trade volumes and help bring prosperity to our peoples.”
Ghana, on the other hand, reiterated its commitment to the forms of global political order, adding: “We have made it clear that the inability of the United Nations to undertake to reform the institutions that would reflect the realities of our time and not the realities of the post-world war represents manifest injustices against the peoples of Africa.”
“We on this continent,” President Akufo-Addo indicated, “are an integral part of the global order and global institutions should reflect this fact.”
“For a handful of states to emerge as the dominant powers in the world after the Second World War of the 20th century to continue in the 21st century to be the sole arbiters of international security remains for us a structural defect in global governance which the world community should no longer tolerate.”
The Ghanaian team, thus, stressed the importance of initiating the process of UN reforms, especially on the UN Security Council and set out Africa’s common position on UN reforms and solicited the support of Malta in that regard.
President Akufo-Addo said that Malta’s President and his delegation shared Africa’s position and sentiments and expressed the desire to collaborate with Ghana.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD