Accra, June 25, GNA - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday hailed Ghana's stable democracy and pronounced his apostolic blessings on the nation. He said he was not only impressed with the peace of the nation but also recognized the strong performance of the economy.

"The Holy See has asked me to convey to you his commendation for this," Archbishop Leon Badikebele Kalenga, the new Apostolic Nuncio, said this when he and two other newly accredited High Commissioners and an Ambassador, presented their Letters of Credence/Commission to President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu.

They are Mr David Etuket, High Commissioner of Uganda, Mr Khalid Durrani, High Commissioner of Pakistan, and Mr Ri Chan Ho, Ambassador of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

All, except the Apostolic Nuncio, would be based in Abuja, the administrative capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Archbishop Kalenga expressed the Pope's appreciation for the leadership role President Kufuor was playing in Africa, saying, "You are doing wonderfully well for both your country and Africa." He pledged his resolve to promote and strengthen the relations between Ghana and the Vatican.

President Kufuor acknowledged the vanguard role of the Church in education and quality health care delivery in the society, noting that it was not only after the spiritual welfare of the people but their social needs as well.

Ghana being secular, he said, he was confident the Apostolic Nuncio would help to sustain the happy co-existence between Christians and followers of the other religious faiths.

Running through the messages of the other High Commissioners and Ambassador, were the expressions of admiration for Ghana's success story and the determination to deepen bilateral and economic co-operation between their respective countries and Ghana.

President Kufuor drew attention to the need to put more substance to Ghana's long-standing relationship with Pakistan, Uganda and the DPRK by re-opening their permanent missions, something, they all said they were eager to see happen.

He said he wanted to see more economic interaction between Ghana and those countries for the mutual benefit of their peoples.