Ghana has taken delivery of 50 tons (2,500 pieces) of date fruits from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration received the donation on Thursday, May 6, 2021, in Accra on behalf of the government.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ambassador Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, who received the items, was grateful for the gesture.

She said, ​“Ghana-Saudi bilateral relations date back to 1960, when Ghana established a diplomatic presence in the Kingdom with the latter reciprocating later, Since then the two countries have witnessed fruitful cooperation and strengthened relations.”

“The increasing numbers of Ghanaian Muslims embarking on the annual ritual of the Hajj, and unique occasions such as we are witnessing today bear testimony to our excellent relations,” she added.

“This presentation ceremony is one more expression of the friendship and cooperation between Ghana and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Indeed Ghana has been a beneficiary of this symbolic gift of date fruits over the years.”

“It is also insightful to know that dates are considered among the fruits of heaven in Islam and signify vitality and growth. Rooted in the religious teachings of the Prophet Mohammed, dates are traditionally recognized as a customary food item during Ramadan.”

The Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Ghana, Meshal Hamdan Al-Rogi, who presented the dates, described it as the most important fruit in Saudi Arabia with deep historical and religious significance.