Accra, May 30, GNA - Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare has pledged Ghana's support to Ethiopia on major issues of mutual interest. He said both countries had enjoyed long standing and historical diplomatic relations, since the era of Ghana's First President Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Emperor Haile-Selassie of Ethiopia. Mr Mensah made the pledge at a reception to mark the 20th anniversary celebration of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Accra. "Ghana-Ethiopia relations have deepened greatly over the last couple of years and the mutual interest to further strengthen our co-operation as African countries have not waned, 93he added. He noted that African leaders had shared common ideals and vision about the need for countries in the Continent to unite, while their close co-operation and collaborative efforts culminated in the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity now African Union. Mr Mensah said the vision and spirit shared by these leaders resulted in the leadership of both countries deliberating towards the common goals of a continental union government. Mrs Gifti Abasiya Ababulgu, Ethiopian Ambassador said the Ethiopian Government had formulated the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP) for 2010-2015. She said an important element of GTP was the construction of the Ethiopian renaissance dam over the Nile River in accordance with the Nile Basin Initiative to benefit the riparian countries and with a reservoir expected to generate more than 5,000 megawatts of power upon completion. "This will be the largest dam ever to be built over the Nile and it is something Ethiopians have been pushing for a long period," she added. Mrs Ababulgu said the Government had designed and implemented sustainable development and poverty reduction programmes during which period double digit economic growth was achieved. She stressed the need to expedite action to avoid double taxation and other related issues on bilateral air service agreement between the two countries.

Mrs Ababulgu called on stakeholders and the business community to venture into business activities of mutual benefit to their countries and people.