General News of Tuesday, 10 March 2015

Source: GNA

Ghana and Botswana sign MOU on political consultations

Ghana on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Republic of Botswana on Political consultations among other things.

The signing, which was performed by Madam Hannah Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Dr Pelonomi Vinson-Moitoi, Botswanan Minister of Foreign and International cooperation was witnessed by President John Mahama of Ghana and President Khama of Botswana.

The signing of the MOU formed part of President Mahama's three-day state visit to the Southern African country, where he would, among other things, visit the Diamond Trading Company and Eurostar Diamond Polishing Company in the capital.

Speaking later at a luncheon organised by the host nation, President Mahama said both Ghana and Botswana had established themselves as politically stable countries and therefore signing such an agreement would deepen their relations and encourage other African States to do same.

He said Ghana and Botswana had over the years shown other African countries that the best way to change a government was through the ballot box and not the use of violence and terrorist attacks.

President Mahama said deepening such a feat would discourage other states that would have resorted to violence from indulging in the inhuman practices.

He commended Botswana for the tremendous support to Ebola affected countries in the West African region, indicating that, the initiative helped the affected countries to ward off the infection in many parts of their countries.

President Mahama said both Ghana and Botswana were strengthening socio-economic democratic institutions, adding that, "while Ghana is going through economic transformation to add more value to raw materials before export, Botswana was also implementing economic diversity that was trending the same goals.”

President Khama on his part pledged his government's commitment to nurture the political and economic relations between the two countries to blossom.

President Khama also commended the government of Ghana for contributing teachers, Engineers and Lecturers at the country's tertiary institutions, as well as Artisans in all fields of development over the years.