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Ghana/Togo leaders begin talks
Accra, Aug. 25, Ghanadot/GNA – The
presidents of Ghana and Togo on Tuesday began discussions
aimed at strengthening their relations and enhancing
bilateral cooperation.
President John Atta Mills and Togolese President Faure
Essozimna Gnassingbe, in a prelude to bilateral talks,
acknowledged the strong ties that exist between the two
countries with emphasis on strengthening their bonds of
cooperation.
The bilateral talks, being held behind closed-doors, are
expected to centre on political situation in Togo, energy
and gas, supply of water, global financial crisis and how to
remove bottlenecks that impede free movement of people and
goods across the borders.
The Togolese President, who is on a two-day official visit,
will also visit the Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam, the Asogli
Power Project site at Kpone, near Tema and a tuna processing
factory in Tema.
He will also pay courtesy calls on former President Jerry
John Rawlings and former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
President Mills told journalists before the talks that Ghana
would have no hand in the political situation in Togo before
it goes to the polls and that all that Ghana wanted was for
her neighbour to have free, fair and open election.
President Mills said it was the determination of the two
nations to enhance their cooperation to improve the living
standards of their people.
He recalled his visit to Togo last April and said the
meeting between the two countries provided an atmosphere for
enhanced cooperation between the two nations.
President Gnassingbe said it was with great emotion to be in
Ghana and expressed his admiration to the people of Ghana
about how they had administered their democracy.
He also recalled President Mills’ visit to Togo last April
and said it was necessary to put the past behind them and
forge together in the interest of their people.
“We are working through these meetings to concretise our
relations for the benefit of our people. We have to forge
closer links because of our common heritage, history,
interest and challenges of the sub-region,” President
Gnassingbe said.
He said it was necessary for the two countries to go beyond
the traditional bonds of friendship and work more closely to
free the sub-region from conflicts and other bottlenecks
that impeded its development.
The two leaders are expected to issue a joint communiqué at
the end of the two-day visit on Wednesday.
President Gnassingbe is the third President to visit Ghana
since the inauguration of President Mills last January.
The first two presidents were President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf
of Liberia and US President Barack Obama.
GNA
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