Ghana has proposed for the establishment of a Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation (PJCC) with Cape Verde to focus on some critical areas for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

These are tourism and culture, transport, health, education, fisheries, trade and investment, technology, gender, and social inclusion.

To cement Ghana’s commitment to the PJCC, a proposed draft Agreement to that effect has been submitted to the Director of Political, Economic and Cultural Affairs at the Cape Verdean Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Julio Morais, (in both English and Portuguese), for consideration.

Mrs Gloria Poku, Ghana’s Ambassador to Senegal, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Dakar, after presenting her Letters of Credence to President Jorge Carlos Fonseca of Cape Verde at the Presidential Palace in Praia.

The PJCC forms part of comprehensive modalities to strengthen bilateral relationship with Cape Verde, Mrs Poku, who also have additional responsibilities over the Gambia and Cape Verde, said.

She said under Education, there would be an exchange programme between Ghana and Cape Verde with Ghana sending English teachers to Cape Verde and students from that country coming to Ghana to study English.

Mrs Poku explained that the draft PJCC Agreement was to provide the legal framework for the conduct of bilateral cooperation in the relevant areas.

She reiterated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s commitment to starting the process of developing stronger ties, as well as exploring areas of cooperation to the mutual benefits of their citizens.

She said she would work with the Cape Verdean Government to deepen cooperation as the two countries explored investments in fisheries and tourism, where Cape Verde had strength, to share expertise and best practices.

Mr Jose da Silva Goncalves, the Cape Verdean Minister of Tourism, Transport, and Maritime Economy, disclosed the intention of the country’s Airlines to add Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote d’Ivoire to its destinations.

At the moment there is no direct connection between Ghana and Cape Verde by air. The existing flight connections are via Dakar, Senegal or Lisbon, Portugal.

Mr Goncalves said this had potential of opening up the two nations for increased economic, commercial and tourism cooperation, whilst facilitating people-to-people contact.