Kufuor arrives in London

From Kwaku Osei Bonsu, GNA Special Correspondent, London

London, May 5, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor arrived in London on Monday to attend an international conference to discuss concrete ideas for drawing on the power of businesses to speed up progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). He was accompanied by the Foreign Minister, Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei, and some senior government officials.

United Kingdom government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are jointly hosting the meeting dubbed "Business Call to Action", and attended by top government ministers, business leaders and high level representatives of the UN.

It comes amidst growing anxiety that many developing countries, especially in Africa, are off track in achieving the MDGs, which range from halving extreme poverty to halving HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education to all by the targeted date of 2015. President Kufuor's special invitation was on account of Ghana's strong performance with regard to the goals. Rwanda is the other African country that is also seen to be doing well.

President Kufuor would also hold talks with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the 10 Downing Street to deepen political and economic co-operation between the two countries. In addition, he would receive the Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone.