Ghana/Angola relations on New level - President Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Friday said the relations between Ghana and Angola was now on "a new level."

This follows bilateral discussions the President held with his Angolan Counterpart, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço at the Presidential Palace in Luanda, on the Second day of his two-day historic state visit to that country.

Addressing a joint press conference with President Lourenço, President Akufo-Addo noted that, the bilateral talks had strengthened the mutual ties between the two nations.

He said he and his counterpart had resolved to collaborate on all fronts to integrate and unify the continent and work to eradicate poverty in Africa.

The two leaders also agreed to work for the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and for the search of global peace and security to promote sustainable development around the world.”

President Akufo-Addo told the media that the meeting with his counterpart hinged on boosting the political and economic relations, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, as well as co-operation at the multilateral level.

“Our deliberations also centered on driving investment opportunities, domestic and foreign, into our two countries, and the need for enhanced co-operation and partnership in our development efforts. Towards the realization of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, we touched on the need to promote a better world, and addressed global issues relating to the 17 Goals,” he added.

The President expressed the appreciation of the Ghanaian people and the Government to the people and Government of Angola for the support Ghana received in her bid to host the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He said the two countries had agreed, as a result of discussions at the ministerial level, to revive and convene the 6th Session of the Permanent Joint Commission for Co-operation between Ghana and Angola within the next two months, to be held in Luanda.

The Commission, established in 1987, serves as the legal framework for addressing the trade and investment concerns of the two countries.

President Akufo-Addo said the two countries were more united in their determination to rapidly transform their economies from "dependence on the production and export of raw materials into value-adding industrial economies, anchored on the things we make and grow."

"It is this transformation that will give us the best opportunity to derive maximum benefit from our abundant natural resources, and from our participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area, and help bring progress and prosperity to our peoples,” he stressed.

President Akufo-Addo lauded the Angolan leader's drive to consolidate the process of national reconciliation and multi-party democracy in that country.

“These are worthwhile initiatives, and we can only urge him to remain steadfast in this quest. The work being done to establish accountability is, clearly, in the right direction, as it will help drive the important agenda of economic transformation of Angola,” he added.