The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, embarked on an official visit to Romania from 26th – 28th March, 2018. On the Minister’s Delegation were, Ghana’s Ambassador to the Czech Republic, H.E. Virginia Hesse, the Deputy Head of Mission of Ghana’s Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic, Representatives of Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC), Ghana Export Promotion Authority, (GEPA) and officials of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. While on the visit, Hon. Botchwey held meetings with the Romanian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Teodor Viorel Melescanu and the Minister of National Education, Hon. Valentin Popa, the President of the National Council of Rectors (NCR), Mr. Sorin Mihai Cimpeanu, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania (CCIR) among other top dignitaries.
During her meeting with the Foreign Minister, Teodor Viorel Melescanu, the Minister expressed appreciation to the Government and People of Romania for the warm hospitality that was accorded to her and members of her delegation.
The two Foreign Ministers held candid and constructive discussions on a wide range of issues of mutual interest to both countries. They reviewed relations between the Republic of Ghana and Romania. They also held discussions on current global challenges and how both countries could cooperate within the bilateral and multilateral spaces towards mitigating these challenges.
Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and her Romanian counterpart took note of the current low level of trade and investment between Ghana and Romania, which do not reflect the vast opportunities in both countries for increased economic engagement. She, therefore, called for the two countries to step up cooperation in trade and investment in accordance with Ghana’s agenda of moving beyond Aid.
In this connection, the Minister indicated among other things, that massive structural changes were taking place in the Ghanaian economy which were propelled by the Government’s determination to transform the economy through value-addition and export-oriented growth through the implementation of policies such as ‘One District , One Factory’, ‘ One Village , One Dam’, ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ , ‘Digitalization of the Economy’ among other initiatives which were aimed at creating jobs and economic opportunities for the youth in particular, and moving the economy from over-reliance on aid.
The Minister added that the investor-friendly policies together with Ghana’s political stability, respect for human rights and the rule of law, create opportunities for Ghana and Romania to deepen economic engagement.
Hon. Ayorkor Botchwey and her counterpart signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania on Political Consultations, which is expected to pave way for the establishment of a Ghana-Romania Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation.
