By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, July 23, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama and his Burundian counterpart President Évariste Ndayishimiye have held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the African Union Extraordinary Health Summit in Accra.
The meeting, which took place at the Presidency was aimed at cementing the relationship between the two African nations.
President Mahama commended President Ndayishimiye, who is the Chairman of the African Union for participating in the AU Extraordinary Health Summit.
He said the African continent was plagued by several issues including health and security, which had become widespread.
He said he would continue to work with President Ndayishimiye and take a leaf from some of the things that he had started, to see how they could silence the guns on the continent and bring peace to Africa.
This, President Mahama said would enable their people to focus on the issues that were most important to them, which included the provision of their basic needs, good health, quality education, and creating job opportunities for young people to be able to look after themselves and start families.
President Mahama said the Government of Ghana had been working on what a Reset agenda vision, to try and stabilise its national economy.
“We went into quite a lot of turbulence. Our debt profile went too high, so we defaulted on our debts. So, we had to go through a very painful debt restructuring and then also go through another cycle of an IMF programme. Happily, we’ve completed the IMF programme.”
He noted that Ghana’s economy was very stable now and the currency was doing well, interest rates and inflation were down, which had created a very good environment for businesses.
President Ndayishimiye lauded President Mahama for the exemplary organisation of the African Union Extraordinary Health Summit, which reflected, once again, the professionalism and hospitality for which the country was known for.
“It is also an opportunity to thank you very much for your support. Your solidarity is helping me to lead the African Union, and that shows your commitment for the African Union, and we are sure that next year, it will be a continuous work in the interest of Africa,” he said.
President Ndayishimiye further praised Ghana for the consolidation of its democratic institutions, the quality of governance, and the remarkable strength it continues to make in its development.
“Congratulations for your leadership. I found Ghana to be a safe country, which is in the line of development. Ghana will be the example of Africa on how we can also grow,” the Burundian leader said.
He reiterated that Ghana remained a steadfast and respected voice in promoting peace, stability, and African unity, and its contribution to the progress and standing of the continent was deeply appreciated by all the member states.
He said Burundi attached great importance to the longstanding friendship and excellent bilateral relations that united the two countries and their two people.
President Ndayishimiye said his country remained firmly committed to strengthening her cooperation across all areas of mutual interest, in a spirit of solidarity and shared purpose.
“My brother, before, I didn’t know that there is a big community of Burundians in Ghana. I met them yesterday, and there are also many students studying here in the universities,” the Burundian leader told his Ghanaian counterpart.
President Ndayishimiye said that he was deeply touch by the great unity that existed between Ghanaians and Burundians, and thanked Ghana for its enduring support for his country over the years.
He stated that many Burundians’ sons and daughters had benefitted from educational and strengthening opportunities provided by Ghana, for which they remained deeply grateful.
He recalled with appreciation Ghana’s valuable support for their community development program, notably through the provision of construction materials such as cement, roofing sheets, and steel bars.
President Ndayishimiye said in their history, Burundi was coming from a bad historic conflict and that when they began the reconstruction of the country, Ghana helped her with construction materials.
“During the construction, we built schools and hospitals with your help, and we still thank you for that. We hope that this valuable cooperation can be resumed and even strengthened, supporting Burundi as it works towards its National Development Vision 2040, aiming for emerging economic status, and the vision 2060, striving to become a developed nation,” he said.
He proposed that the two nations convened a Joint Commission for Cooperation at the earliest mutually convening opportunities, to identify new avenues of partnership that aligned with the ambition of their respective countries.
President Ndayishimiye said Burundi was still behind in digitalisation and that they would learn from Ghana’s experience.
He urged Ghanaian investors to visit Burundi and explore investment opportunities in agriculture, mining, tourism, energy, infrastructures, and the ICT sector.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo