Accra, Aug. 10, GNA - Ghana and Iran on Tuesday set in motion diplomatic talks to stimulate developmental road-map to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries at both governmental and private sector levels.

Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said the two-day talks in Accra would also examine the 2008 Memoranda of Understanding signed between the two countries at the end of their Third Session of the Permanent Joint Commission of Cooperation in Tehran.

He said the long standing relations between the two nations had produced tangible benefits, stressing that: "The permanent joint commission for cooperation has become a vehicle for enhancing development between our countries".

Alhaji Mumuni was speaking at the opening of the Fourth Session of Ghana and Iran Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation in Accra, which aims at scaling up the warm relations and fruitful cooperation existing between the two nations.

The session would also review the state of implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between Ghana and Iran in Tehran in 2008 and to explore new opportunities for cooperation.

The Foreign Minister assured the Iranian delegation headed by Dr Sadegh Khalilian, the Minister of Jihad Agriculture, that the government was committed to the implementation of provisions of the MOU.

Dr Khalilian said Iran was committed to strengthen cooperation with African countries especially Ghana in the area of economics, trade, agriculture and technological transfer.

The 2008 MOU seeks to strengthen bilateral cooperation in agriculture, research and technology transfer in the development of vaccines and serums for humans and livestock, as well as in biotechnology and genetic engineering.

It also includes measures for cultivation, improvement methodologies, development and exchange of planting material; provision of engineering and technical services, development of feasibility studies for the production of chemical fertilizers in Ghana; and joint-venture investment in agriculture.

On trade, economic and financial cooperation, the MOU focused on the establishment of private joint-venture companies to undertake technical and engineering projects such as cement production, power generation and downstream petrochemical industries.

The Iranian side also expressed interest in exploring opportunities in Ghana for joint-partnerships in vehicle and tractor assembling plants as well as processing plants to add value to cocoa production.

To establish confidence among Iranian business operators, the two sides initiated negotiations on agreements for the avoidance of double taxation and investment promotion.

Iran also agreed to extend to Ghana, loans of 250 million dollars for rural electrification and 100 million dollars for the financing of cottage industries, aimed at job creation to stem the rural-urban drift.

On Energy, Ghana and Iran agreed to cooperate in the development of oil and gas with particular reference to the acquisition of seismic data on Ghana's Voltaian Basin.

The two sides agreed to cooperate on the development of human resources for the Ghanaian petroleum industry, power generation, transmission and distribution in the country.

On education, they agreed to exchange instructors for technical and vocational education, grant scholarships to students and to conduct joint research in science, technology and medicine at the tertiary level.

On health, Iran agreed to a request by Ghana for support in training nurses and other health workers at post-graduate levels and to organise periodic workshops on public health care.

The two sides agreed to support health campaigns in HIV/AIDS, malaria control and other communicable diseases in collaboration with the Ghana Red Cross Society.

On sports, Ghana and Iran agreed to cooperate in updating the skills of coaches, physical education instructors and athletes, as well as exchanging lecturers on Sports Science, Administration and Management.

Ghana and Iran agreed to develop their capacities in broadcasting, news and programme exchange; technical cooperation; and the automation and digitisation of radio and television broadcasting systems.

On transportation, the Iranian side expressed interest in investing in the development of port infrastructure and participation in sea-freighting of goods to and from Ghana on competitive basis.

Other areas in which the two sides reached agreement covered the promotion of collaboration between Customs Administrations through the conclusion of a Customs Agreement, based on the provisions of the model text of the World Customs Organisation; cooperation on tourism promotion; and on environmental issues, including waste management and biodiversity conservation.

The Accra Diplomatic Talks is to review the Tehran MOU, find-out any possible gaps and challenges and adopt the appropriate measures for its implementation.