Israel and Ghana will work to increase cooperation in the areas of agriculture, border security and medicine, Foreign Minister Cohen said.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on his first visit to West Africa met with the president of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo and Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, an official statement said on Wednesday.
“Ghana is an important country in the international arena, as a member of the Security Council and an influential factor in the African Union,” Cohen said.
The foreign minister met with President of Ghana Nana Afuko Addo and his Ghanaian counterpart Shirley Ayorkor Botchway.
They discussed the possibilities of strengthening Israel’s position within the African Union. Cohen and senior officials of his office also opened on Tuesday the first Israel-Ghana business forum with the participation of companies in the fields of water, agriculture and project development.
“The visit to Ghana is expected to deepen cooperation between the countries and in the international arena. Promoting international Israeli aid activity along with deepening relations with Ghana in the field of border security, water management and health,” the statement said.
According to Cohen, “strengthening the ties between Israel and Africa will improve Israel’s international standing, promote the Israeli economy and help deal with the continent’s challenges.”
“Ghana is an important country in the international arena, a member of the Security Council and an influential factor in the African Union. I thank President Nana Akufo-Addo and Minister of Foreign Affairs Botchwey for their activities to strengthen the relationship between Israel and Ghana and West Africa in general,” Cohen said, adding that Israel will continue to work together with Ghana in order to upgrade the relations between the countries in the fields of agriculture, border security and advanced medicine.
President Akufo-Addo in turn said that Ghana “will always be a friend of the State of Israel and we will support its position as an observer in the African Union.”
“I warmly welcome the activity of Israeli companies in Ghana and we will continue to encourage more and more cooperation between the countries for the benefit of the nations,” he added.
Cohen continues a series of strategic visits, after Europe, Asia and Eurasia. In the last two weeks he has had meetings with senior African government officials in Kenya and now in Ghana. With a population of more than 30 million people, it was among the first two countries in Africa to recognize the State of Israel.