Ghana president intends to visit Belarus

MINSK, 4 March (BelTA) – Ghana President John Dramani Mahama intends to visit Belarus. Preparations for the visit were discussed as Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BelTA.

The ministers held negotiations in a narrow format and an expanded format. A broad range of matters of bilateral cooperation were discussed. Close attention was paid to the upcoming visit of the Ghana president to Belarus.

The content of the visit and the package of international documents the countries are expected to sign were discussed in detail. The package includes a visa-free travel agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports, agreements on agriculture mechanization, on export loans, on setting up an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation as well as a number of other documents.

The Belarusian and Ghanaian ministers of foreign affairs reaffirmed the intention to advance cooperation in politics, agriculture, and terrorism counteraction. They also mentioned the importance of joint education programs.

The parties discussed the organization of a business and investment forum in Minsk, in which representatives of Belarus’ and Ghana’s private sectors will participate.

The Ghanaian minister of foreign affairs thanked the Belarusian side for support for African countries, including for humanitarian aid shipped to Mozambique in the wake of a natural disaster. He spoke highly of Belarus’ cooperation with Nigeria. He stressed that Ghana is a gateway to Africa and is ready to work with Minsk as actively as possible.

“Close attention was paid to interaction on international platforms. The parties agreed to support each other in the United Nations Organization. Maxim Ryzhenkov assured that in the UN General Assembly Belarus will vote for the resolution initiated by the African Union on colonization reparations and will implement other measures to promote it and implement it, and will also support Ghana’s candidacy in UN elected bodies,” the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs added.

Maxim Ryzhenkov had met with Ghana President John Dramani Mahama the day before. The Belarusian minister of foreign affairs conveyed greetings from Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on the occasion of the upcoming Ghana Independence Day and a personal invitation to visit Minsk.

John Dramani Mahama accepted the invitation with gratitude and suggested agreeing the specific dates via diplomatic channels. He asked to convey kind wishes to the Belarusian leader in return. He recalled with fondness his trip to Belarus in 2024 unofficially.