Malian President Alpha Oumar Konare arrived in Accra on yesterday for a three-day official visit to the country.
President John Agyekum Kufuor met his guest, who was accompanied by 25 government officials including five ministers, on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport.
Also at the Airport to welcome the Malian leader were the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers of State, some members of the Council of State, the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, members of the diplomatic corps and the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Seth Obeng.
A large crowd of Malian and Ghanaian nationals as well as school children thronged the airport to catch a glimpse of the two leaders.
In a brief remark to newsmen, President Konare said during his leadership of ECOWAS, a lot of progress was made especially in the areas of economic integration, construction and free movement of people.
He said a lot of programmes and projects were on course and mentioned the monetary union, energy and communications as some of them. He said even though there was a lot to be done, it was evident that the people of the sub-region have the will to succeed.
President Konare said his country is more at peace than it was 10 years ago when there was a lot of trouble and insecurity across the country and two-thirds of the country was not covered by the national administration.
"Today the country is more reconciled, more democratic and making progress in the economic front."
On the elections in his country, Mr Konare said governance could be likened to a relay race, which must be passed on to others to continue.
He said despite the few protestations during the elections, they were organised in an orderly manner and commended by international observers.
He said during his 10 years in office as President, Mali achieved a lot, but not everything, and since governance was an on-going process, "we have to hand over to others to continue."
"Most of the problems facing Mali are not our making and we must acknowledge that Mali's economy is dependent on cotton and gold that have seen a decline in prices against our wish."
He said this coincided with the upward rise in the price of crude oil but "Malians have a lot of confidence in themselves and in the future and that is a good sign."
The Malian leader inspected a guard of honour mounted by four officers and 102 men drawn from the 48 Engineers' Regiment under the command of Major Mohammed Mustapha with the Armed Forces Central Band in attendance.
Whilst in the country, the Malian President would hold bilateral talks with President Kufuor and attend a mini durbar at Manhyia Palace, where he would confer with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene.
He would meet African ambassadors and Malians in the country; address Parliament and lay a wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.
