PRESS RELEASE
2nd India – Ghana Foreign Office Consultations
(Accra, 1-2 July 2021)
The 2nd India-Ghana Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) were held on
2nd
July 2021 in Accra. Mr. Rahul Chhabra, Secretary (ER) from Indian
side and Mr. Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong, Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs from the Ghanaian side co-chaired the Meeting.
2. Both sides undertook a comprehensive review of the entire gamut
of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
The co-chairs took stock of exchange of bilateral visits, holding of
Joint Commission Meeting, bilateral trade & investment,
development partnership, capacity building, defence cooperation,
security related issues, people to people linkages, pending MoUs,
regional, and global issues. Both sides agreed to take steps to
enhance the depth and momentum of engagement which would be to
mutual benefit. Both sides noted with appreciation their cooperation
on Covid-19 related issues, including donation of 50,000 Covid
Vaccines by India to Ghana as a gesture of friendship &
solidarity and 6,00,000 Covishield made-in-India vaccines under
COVAX initiative.
3. Ghana noted with appreciation the visit of Hon’ble Minister of
State for External Affairs, Mr. V. Muraleedharan from 6-7 January
2021 to attend the inauguration of President Akufo-Addo for his
second term as President of the Republic of Ghana.
4. Relations
between India and Ghana are traditionally warm and friendly and these
relations are further gaining momentum with frequent high level visits
and interactions from both sides. Bilateral trade has been growing at a
healthy rate and recorded about US$ 4.5 billion in 2018-19 though in
2019-20 trade has declined to US$ 2.4 billion on account of low import
of gold by India. India has extended
developmental assistance to Ghana worth over US$ 500 million
under Lines of Credit and additional amount of US$ 500 million
under Buyers Credit
for various projects, including the iconic Presidential palace,
Tema-Mpakadan railway line and India-Ghana Kofi Annan Centre for
Excellence in ICT. India also continues to extend capacity building
support to Ghana with scholarships for University education,
Fellowships for research and skill and human resource development
under ITEC including e-VBAB.
5. An MOU for Cooperation between India’s Global Centre for Nuclear
Energy Partnership (GCNEP) and Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC)
to facilitate human resource development and capacity building for
further developing and strengthening the technical capabilities of
the GAEC. The MOU was signed by Mr. Rahul Chhabra, Secretary(ER)
from Indian side and Prof. B.J.B. Nyarko, Director General of GAEC
from the Ghanaian side.
6.
During the visit, Secretary (ER) also called on H.E. Ms. Shirley
Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional
Integration of Ghana. While briefing about the fruitful discussions
held in the FOC, he apprised her the progress made in the bilateral
relations since the last FOC held in 2019. Minister expressed her
satisfaction about the state of bilateral relations and thanked for
the support extended by India from time to time on various issues
including the Covid-19 pandemic.
7. The talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. Both
sides agreed to hold the next consultations at New Delhi at a
mutually convenient date.
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