Credit:  presidency.gov.gh /  Ghana H.E.  Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo meets Cuba President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez Apr. 5, 2019 in Havana, Cuba 

DIPLOMATIC TIMES  STAFF

The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the prospects for scaling-up economic relations between Ghana and Cuba are considerable, and is calling for the two countries to continually search for ways to co-operate.  The President made this known on Thursday, 4th April, 2019, when he held bilateral discussions with the President of Cuba, His Excellency Miguel Diaz-Canel, as part of his official visit to that country, according to a statement from the Ghana government. 

 “I have no doubt, that, together, we can forge a new, strong partnership for co-operation between our two nations for the mutual benefit of our two peoples”.

-Ghana President Akufo-Addo,

Ghana and Cuba have maintained relations since 1959

In his remarks, he noted that his visit to Cuba is “to continue the process of developing stronger ties between our two countries, as well as exploring new areas of co-operation to the mutual benefits of our two peoples.”  At the diplomatic level, Ghana and Cuba have maintained relations since 1959. Indeed, Ghana was the first African country to establish diplomatic relations with the Government of the Cuban Revolution. Since then, officials of the two countries have exchanged high level visits.

Credit: http://misiones.minrex.gob.cu /  President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, arrived in Havana on April 3, 2019, and was received at Terminal No. 1 of the “José Martí” International Airport by Rogelio Sierra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba.

“Six hundred (600) Ghanaian students have been given scholarships by the Cuban government since the year 2000, with some three thousand (3,000) Ghanaians benefitting from this arrangement in previous years. I am glad to note that, during this visit, new arrangements have been concluded to cover two hundred (200) more Ghanaian students to study medicine here,” he said.

The President continued, “The co-operation between our two countries is being extended to the eradication of malaria, and soon, through a joint venture agreement with Labiofam S.A., a bio-larvicide factory will be established in Savelugu, in the Northern Region of Ghana.”

Agreement Reached For Sale of Ghana’s cocoa liquor to the Stella S.A. chocolate factory in Cuba

An agreement, he added, is also being reached for the sale of Ghana’s cocoa liquor to the Stella S.A. chocolate factory in Cuba, stressing that “we want to examine the possibility of Stella S.A. establishing a manufacturing facility in Ghana.”

The President  paid a 3-day official visit to Cuba, at the invitation of H.E. Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, President of the Councils of State and of Ministers of State of the Republic of Cuba. He was also scheduled to meet with Gen. Raúl Castro, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, and deliver a speech at the Law Faculty of the University of Havana. According to media reports, the President was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, MP; the Minister for Education, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, MP; the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman Manu, MP; and officials of the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.