The 8th Ghana-Switzerland Political Consultations has been held to discuss issues of mutual interest towards enhancing relations between the two countries. The discussions were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration on Wednesday 1st November, 2023.
The Chief Director for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ambassador Ramses Cleland, in his remarks recalled that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation and Policy Consultations which was signed between Ghana and Switzerland has been instrumental in establishing a platform for consistent political and economic discussions for nurturing mutual understanding and fostering cooperation between the two countries. Amb. Cleland further stated that the primary objective of the 8th session of the Political Consultations was to reinforce and strengthen Ghana’s relations with Switzerland, in the face of the prevailing global challenges impacting the political and economic landscapes of both countries.
Ambassador Philipp Stalder, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa and Francophonie Division at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland highlighted the promising potential for Ghana and Switzerland to bolster their relations and venture into new areas of cooperation. He reiterated Switzerland’s commitment to enhancing its relationship with Ghana, particularly in the areas of common interest such as climate change, peace and security, education, and health.
Discussions between the two countries centred on three (3) main thematic sectors namely, bilateral relations, regional matters, and multilateral issues. The deliberations focused on COP27, economic relations, trade and investment promotion, cooperation in the cocoa sector, mining industry, education, health, human rights, peace and security, as well as cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations such as the African Union, Economic Community of West African States, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and capacity building among others.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Health. Others were from the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Decentralisation, Ministry of Energy, Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and the Embassy of Switzerland in Ghana.
