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President Bush and
President Kufuor Exchange Toasts
State Banquet Hall
Accra, Ghana
White House News
Africa Trip 2008
PRESIDENT KUFUOR: Your Excellencies,
President George Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush;
Right Honorable Sekyi-Hughes, Speaker; Your
Ladyship, Mrs. Georgina Wood, Chief Justice
of Ghana; Your Excellency, former President
of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings, Mrs.
Rawlings; Professor Adzei Bekoe, Chairman of
Council of States; Excellencies,
distinguished ladies and gentlemen: Mr.
President, on behalf of the government and
people of Ghana, I am delighted and honored
to welcome you and your distinguished
delegation to our shores for this short but
memorable visit, which is an affirmation of
the goodwill and bonds of cooperation
between our two governments and countries.
We note with great admiration your
commitment to the respect of human rights,
democracy, and good governance, as well as
your humanitarian support for the drive
towards poverty alleviation. We recognize
also your exemplary dedication to the fight
against diseases, like malaria and the
HIV/AIDS pandemic.
This morning, in the castle gardens, you
launched a historic $350 million, five-year
initiative to fight neglected -- (applause.)
This was to fight neglected tropical
diseases, including river blindness. Again,
you announced the further donation of $17
million to be invested in the control of
malaria annually for three consecutive
years. (Applause.) Ghana is indeed very
appreciative of this general gesture.
(Applause.)
The nation's admiration extends also to your
gracious wife, Mrs. Laura Bush, who is
commended highly for sharing your
determination to help eradicate illiteracy
on our continent of Africa. (Applause.) She
has indeed visited Ghana once in pursuance
of this mission.
Mr. President, the various concerns you have
articulated during your presidency provide a
reliable platform for securing peaceful and
orderly development anywhere, but perhaps
more so in the developing world. Ladies and
gentlemen, I must say this opportunity to
acknowledge the leading role of President
Bush in the decision by the G8 to cancel the
$40 billion debt owed by the poor countries
of the world to the World Bank -- (applause)
-- to the World Bank, IMF and other
multilateral international lenders. A large
part of Ghana's external debts were
cancelled as a result of this decision.
(Applause.)
Mr. President, Africa salutes you for these
gestures of goodwill that are impacting the
lives of many ordinary persons on the
continent for the better. Here in Ghana, we
appreciate the assistance of the United
States in the establishment of strong and
viable democratic institutions to engender
fair elections, the rule of law, and respect
for political and economic rights of all
Ghanaians.
Ghana is among the first sets of
beneficiaries of the Millennium Challenge
Accounts, initiated by you personally, to
provide greater resources to African nations
that strive to uphold good governance while
also promoting economic freedom. By this
policy, Ghana is benefitting from a grant of
over $547 million to modernize -- (applause)
-- to modernize her agriculture.
Our country is also signatory to the African
Growth and Opportunity Act, AGOA, which
allows export of over 6,000 commodities,
both duty and quota free to the United
States' market.
We welcome your government for facilitating
measures to promote the setting up of
private equity funds through the Overseas
Private Investment Corporation. We have no
doubt that these far reaching measures will
accelerate economic growth to change the
fortunes of our continent and help bring the
much needed relief and employment to
millions of ordinary citizens of Africa.
As far as the combination of this policy
with the African Growth and Opportunity Act,
will help us to tackle the supply-side
handicap, which has hitherto prevented us
from enjoying the full benefits of the
policy of AGOA. Mr. President, this is no
doubt a good opportunity for me to enlist
your resource, to commit to the successful
completion of the Doha trade negotiations,
including development arrangements for the
third world countries.
I should appeal to you also, and to the
United States government, to adjust its
policies to accommodate the realistic plea
of cotton-producing nations of West Africa,
for many of whom the crop is the mainstay of
their economy.
Mr. President, Ghana unreservedly condemns
terrorism and its spread around the world.
In particular, we appreciate your leadership
since the September 11th event, which
claimed the lives of many, including some
Ghanaians, who were going about their
legitimate pursuits peacefully in New York.
That sad event established beyond doubt the
necessity for humanity as a whole to reject
all forms of extremism and intolerance in
favor of dialogue and constructive
engagements, in resolving the myriads of
problems confronting the world today.
(Applause.)
In this regard, my government has always
supported dialogue for resolving all
problems on the continent, particularly
Darfur, Somalia, and most recently Kenya and
Chad. We welcome the assistance which the
United States of America is offering through
the United Nations and the African Union in
the search for a solution to these
conflicts.
Mr. President, let me once again extend our
nation's warm sentiments to you, and your
entourage, on this short but much
appreciated visit. (Applause.) We would have
preferred to show you many physical
manifestations of the contributions which
the United States of America, especially
under your leadership, has been making
towards the development of our country.
(Applause.)
Given the limitation of time, however, this
has not been possible. In particular, it had
been hoped that you would drive on the 14
kilometer Mallam to Tetteh Quarshie Road,
currently one of the busiest in the city of
Accra, which is to be reconstructed into a
first-class, six-lane, dual-carriage road to
ease heavy traffic -- (applause) -- and also
support timely bulk haulage of agricultural
produce to the port for export. The project
is being undertaken with $101 million of the
Millennium Challenge Account. (Applause.)
I have a feeling, very strong feeling that
on your impending retirement, successful
retirement from office, you come back to see
this road. (Applause.)
Mr. President, in appreciation of your many
kind gestures toward Ghana and other parts
of Africa, and to immortalize your goodwill
to us, my government has decided to name
this road, this very strategic road, after
you. (Applause.) Henceforth it will be
called the George Bush Motorway. (Applause.)
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, may I
now kindly request all of you to be up
standing, raise your glasses, and drink a
toast to the continued well-being and
success of President and Mrs. Laura Bush.
Before I join you to drink to you, let me
conclude by wishing long live the cordial
relations between the United States of
America and Ghana. Thank you, and may God
bless us all. Thank you. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, Mrs. Kufuor,
and all the distinguished guests here, thank
you for your warm welcome. And I would like
to take this opportunity to thank the good
people of Ghana for the wonderful welcome
Laura and I received. I don't think I have
been to a country where the people have been
more friendly, more open -- (applause.) We
appreciate so very much your hospitality,
and I really appreciate the George Bush
Motorway. (Laughter and applause.) The next
time I come and ride on the George Bush
Motorway, I promise that we will not shut
the highway down. (Laughter.)
President Kufuor is a close friend. He has
earned my respect, and he's earned the
respect of leaders all across the world.
(Applause.) He is an accomplished man with a
good mind and a good heart. (Applause.)
We first met in 2001; we were new
Presidents. And here we are, nearly seven
years later, and we're fixing to leave
office. (Laughter.) But we both vow we will
finish strong with our heads held high.
(Applause.)
In the remaining months, we will work to
strengthen the partnership between our two
nations. The ties that bind the United
States and Ghana are as long as they are
deep. Last year Ghana commemorated the 50th
anniversary of its independence. And when
you claimed your liberty in 1957, the United
States of America was by your side. Richard
Nixon and Martin Luther King, Jr. were among
the notable Americans who were here when the
Union Jack was replaced by the red, yellow
and green of the Republic of Ghana.
(Applause.) Four years later, 51 idealistic
young Americans arrived in your beautiful
country as Ghana became the first nation to
host volunteers from the Peace Corps.
(Applause.)
This long tradition of friendship and
cooperation continues today. Today Ghana and
the United States are working to strengthen
democracy and good government. Together
we're harnessing the power of global trade
to alleviate poverty. And, Mr. President,
rest assured I will work to complete the
Doha Round. (Applause.) Together we're
working to preserve peace, combat disease
and help ensure that all of Ghana's citizens
can give their children what we all want for
our children: a more hopeful future.
And so, Mr. President, I want to thank you
for your friendship. I thank you for your
leadership. I thank you for your kindness,
and I offer a toast to you, your gracious
wife, and to the noble people of Ghana. God
bless. (Applause.)
END 8:19 P.M. (Local)
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