Accra, Oct. 18, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday expressed Ghana's gratefulness to Canada for its tremendous development assistance to the country.

Receiving the Letters of Commission of the newly appointed Canadian High Commissioner to the country, Mr Barren Schemmer, at the Castle, Osu, the President said Ghana, which is the biggest recipient of Canadian Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), south of the Sahara, appreciated the enhanced support from that country.

Mr Dirk Verheyen, Belgium Ambassador, Mr Daniel R. Smith, Namibian High Commissioner and Mr James Donald Kalilangwe, Malawian High Commissioner, also presented their Letters.

President Kufuor noted that there was a lot of goodwill between Ghana and Canada and that the two had related very well not only at the Commonwealth, but, on the international arena, generally. He said it was his expectation that the High Commissioner would work to further strengthen the bond of friendship.

Mr. Schemmer, pledged to help build on the good trade and economic development co-operation between the two countries When the Belgium Ambassador, to be based in Abuja, Nigeria, took his turn, President Kufuor said Ghana attached importance to its relations with the European country.

Belgium, he said, wielded a lot of influence and that the country wanted to connect with it. He said, he was however, a bit unhappy that Belgium did not have a permanent mission in the country and asked the Ambassador to take this up with his home Government. Mr Verheyen said Ghana was one of their important partners in Africa and promised to do all he could to raise the relations to a new high level.

President Kufuor spoke of the need for special bond of sisterly relations among African nations when the Namibian High Commissioner called.

This, he said, was necessary as the Continent made determined efforts towards political unification.

Mr Smith said Ghana and his country had co-operated well at the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN) and the Commonwealth, adding that he would work to sustain the cordial relations. Ghana and Malawi take common position on issues and this is how it should be, President Kufuor said, when Mr Kalilangwe, presented his Letter.

He said reducing poverty, instability, conflicts and diseases in Africa, had been a shared vision of the two countries and asked that they worked even more closely to grow their relations. The High Commissioner gave the assurance that he was committed towards helping to enhance the warm relationship.