Ghana And UNESCO Sign Seat Agreement

May 13, 2000

ACCRA, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on Friday signed a Seat Agreement formally establishing a UNESCO office in Ghana.

The agreement would facilitate the expansion of UNESCO's activities in the country.

Ghana's Education Minister Ekwow Spio-Garbrah signed on behalf of his government while Bruno Lefevre, UNESCO Representative in Ghana, signed for his organisation.

The minister said the opening of a field office in Ghana at the time that UNESCO is severely constrained by inadequacy of funds and is discouraging establishment of new offices, could be considered as a demonstration of the confidence that the organisation has in Ghana.

"With the signing of this agreement we can all now envisage greater collaboration through the strengthening of co-operation between Ghana and UNESCO."

Spio-Garbrah said since education constitutes almost 60 percent of the activities of UNESCO, the ministry will look forward with keen interest to the organisation's support and co- operation, especially in the implementation of the government's policy of "Education For All."

He noted that even before the establishment of the field office in Ghana, UNESCO had supported the country in diverse ways.

"In the areas of information, communication and technology, UNESCO and the World Bank are providing support for promoting telematics in the public sector with an amount of 250,000 dollars.

"The organisation has also donated two mobile maintenance vans for the science resource centres."

Launching the 1999 UNESCO Ghana Office Annual Report, Lefevre said education, science, culture, technology and communication are the domain of the organisation.

He said the launch is to expose the efforts of the organisation for public criticism that would enable them to improve upon their activities.