President Akufo-Addo and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of the East Asian State of Japan have pledged to deepen relations at all levels of cooperation between their respective countries.
The two leaders made the commitment when they addressed the press at the foyer of the Jubilee House after leading their respective delegations in bilateral talks as part of Prime Minister Kishida’s two-day state visit to Ghana.
As part of the agreement to deepen relations, Ghana and Japan exchanged notes by signing two memoranda of understanding (MoUs). The first was “project for the enhancement of rice seeds production capacity and the second, “project for human resource development scholarship,”.
“Wish to reassure Prime Minister Kishida that Ghana will continue to collaborate with Japan to find solutions to challenges such the eradication of widespread poverty, elimination of irregular migration, insecurity and human rights violation, terrorism and violent extremism, human and drug trafficking, piracy as well as climate change and its attendant negative impact on the environment and livelihoods” President Akufo-Addo said in his statement.
“This evening’s meeting has further boosted the steadfast cooperation between our two countries and Ghana will continue to associate with Japan at all levels particularly towards the peaceful resolution of conflicts and in the search for global peace and security to promote sustainable development around the globe” Akufo-Addo added.
*Re-affirmed commitment*
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, speaking through an interpreter noted that Japan considers Ghana to be a very important and strategic partner in the West Africa region and to that end, the government of Japan is commitment to ensuring that it deepens its already strong relations with Ghana.
He noted that the area of infrastructure development is one that Japan will endevour to continue its support for Ghana in order to complete ongoing projects and to initiate new ones.
“We reaffirmed the importance of further promotion of cooperation. Infrastructure is the foundation of development. We will, therefore, cooperate with Ghana to secure the steady implementation of phase two of the project for the improvement of the Tema Motorway roundabout that serves as the junction of major highways including the Abidjan, Lagos corridor which is critical for the development of the West African economic region” Prime Minister Kishida said.
*Peace and security*
The Japanese leader in his address noted that “without peace and security, there can be no economic growth”. He therefore welcomed “Ghana’s efforts through the Accra Initiative and other endeavours to secure peace and stability” in West Africa, especially, in the coastal states.
In that regard, the Japanese Prime Minister announced that a grant of five hundred million United States dollars will be made available to support efforts aimed at securing the entire Gulf of Guinea geopolitical area.
“Under the objective of contributing to the peace stability of the Sahel region and the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea and promoting sustainable growth, Japan will prove 500 million dollars of support over the next three years” Kishida said.
On the ongoing situation in Sudan, Prime Minister Kishida said he indicated his deep concerns and conveyed to President Akufo-Addo that Japan will use its G7 presidency and membership of the UN security council, to make proactive contributions by taking measures such as sending their Ambassador for the horn of Africa to relevant countries to seek a political solution to the ongoing war.
He added that Japan will also lead efforts aimed at providing humanitarian assistance together with its international partners in response to the worsening humanitarian situation in Sudan and neighbouring countries.
