Accra, Nov. 3, GNA - Lord David Triesman, British Minister for Visa, Consular and Africa, on Thursday underscored sustaining peace building efforts in the West African Sub-Region to make development dividends trickle effectively to its people.

At a brief meeting with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Accra, Lord Triesman commended Ghana's role in peace building activities, saying: "Ghana stands tall in efforts to build peace and stability in the Sub-Region."

The meeting with Ghana's Foreign Minister precedes a special ECOWAS-EU session in Niger on Friday November 4, 2005.

The session is intended to discuss a broad range of issues affecting peace in the Sub-Region including the worsening situation in Cote d'Ivoire, the forthcoming Liberian Presidential Elections runoff, the food crisis in Niger and other matters in the Sub-Region. Lord Triesman, who is on his way to Niger, said it was the wish of the United Kingdom to see African economies reaping profits at the Hong Kong Werld Trade Organisation (WTO) talks as well as moving in the right direction and succeeding in democratic principles.

Mr Gordon Wetherell, UK High Commissioner in Ghana and Gary Nicholls Secretary for Press and Political Affairs accompanied him. Nana Akufo-Addo said Ghana was keen on developing a system of governance that had the will and wish of the people at the heart of affairs.

"We are not only trumpeting rule of law, but we make sure that rule of law is seen to be practised in our scheme of things." He praised the role of Britain in Ghana's peace efforts in the Sub-Region and prayed for the sustaining of the relationship, which had grown over years.