Friday, October 7, 2011
By Edmund Mingle
Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire yesterday renewed their friendship as Ivorian President, Alassane Ouattara, expressed immense gratitude for the support his country is enjoying from Ghana towards peace building and development.
Presidents John Evans Atta Mills and Quattara, after bilateral discussions at the Castle in Accra as part of the Ivorian leader’s one day official visit to Ghana, lauded the gains made from the relations between the two nations and further advance their already flourishing partnership.
Apart from aiming to boost the ties between the two nations, the visit is to demonstrate Cote d’Ivoire’s gratitude to Ghana for the significant role it played in resolving of the political crisis that hit Cote d’Ivoire early this year.
Among other things, the visit was in furtherance of the shared commitment to good neigbourliness, between the Ghana and Cote Cote d’Ivoire, and also provided the opportunity for the leaders to review their political, security and economic relations for improvement.
President Ouattara, who was full of praise for Ghana, said his government acknowledges the need to fully cooperate with Ghana addressing outstanding issues such as the repatriation of Ivorians who took refuge in Ghana during the crisis.
“We are highly appreciative of your support,” he said at a luncheon at the Castle in his honour, after the bilateral talks which culminated in the signing a tripartite agreement between Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and the United Nations High Commission for Refuees (UNHCR).
The tripartite agreement was reached following the conclusion by the two leaders of the need for the refugees to return home voluntarily to help in the rebuilding of their country.
Signed by Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, Daniel Kablan Duncan, Foreign Ministers of Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire respectively, and Sharon Cooper, UNHCR Country Director, the agreement involves the arrangements for the voluntary repatriation of about 18,000 Ivorian refugees back home.
Commending President Mills for his contribution in solving the crisis in Cote d’Ivoire, President Quattara said; “You are indeed a peace maker.”
He thanked President Mills for the “wise counsel” to all the parties in the political impasse, and also thanked Ghana for accommodating the more than 18,000 Ivorians who sought refuge in Ghana.
“We trust that we will continue to enjoy your assistance as we rebuild our country,” he said at the luncheon which was attended by Ministers, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, the Chief Justice, Security Chiefs and leaders of the various political parties.
President Ouattara, who earlier laid a wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in honour of Ghana’s first President, said he was happy to be in Ghana, indicating that Ivorians hold Ghana in high esteem.
You have demonstrated that you are a reliable friend and neigbour,” he said, as he responded to the toast proposed by President Mills.
President Mills, proposing the toast, was glad peace had returned to Cote d’Ivoire, saying “what affect you affects us.”
“We have a lot in common, and we will do all we can to support you to promote peace and the growth of democracy in Cote d’Ivoire,” he said.
He also commended the President Ouattara for the progress being made in the implementation of the road map to peace and development in that country, and expressed optimism that the development efforts would be successful to ensure that that country regained its position in the commity of nations.
“You can count on our support,” he told the Ivorian leader.
A joint communiqué issued at the end of the visit, said the leaders also discussed the issue of the common maritime boundary between the countries heightened by the oil discovery in Ghana, and expressed their satisfaction with the progress sofar made in negotiations regarding the delimitation of the boundary.
“They reaffirmed their shared disposition to continue working towards achieving an amicable and mutually acceptable conclusion on the deliberations,” it said.
The two sides, it said, accordingly agreed to reconvene the next Joint Border Delimitation Consultative Meeting in Abidjan next month.
Responding to questions from journalists at the airport before departure, President Ouattara, assured ex-combatants who are among the refugees in Ghana, of their safety when they return home.
President Mills, for his part, warned the refugees of lawlessness, saying an abuse of Ghana’s laws would not be tolerated.
He also warned that “we will not allow anybody to use our territory to destabilize Cote d’Ivoire,” and urged the Ivorian ex-combatants in Ghana to accept the olive branch being offered by President Quattara and return home.
END
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