President Rawlings attends summit in Cairo

Accra, April 2, GNA - President J. J. Rawlings left Accra on Sunday to attend the African-Euro summit in Cairo, Egypt.

Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Minister of State Protocol and Chieftaincy Affairs, accompanied him. The summit, which is under the auspices of the Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU) and the European Union (EU) opens on the third of this month.

Already in Cairo for the preparatory meeting are the Foreign Minister, Mr Victor Gbeho, Mr Dan Abodakpi, Minister of Trade and Industry, Nana Ama Oye Yeboah, Ghana's Ambassador to Belgium and Major General A K Twumasi, Ghana's Ambassador to Egypt.

A statement in Accra by Mr A. A. Laryea, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said about 67 Heads of State from both Africa and Europe are attending. Issues to be discussed include regional economic co-operation and integration, human rights, democracy and good governance, the rule of law, conflict prevention, management and resolution as well as developmental issues.

The summit is expected to come out with a declaration and a plan of action emphasising the guiding principles for action aimed at achieving the commitments in the Cairo declaration.

The statement noted that Africa and Europe have enjoyed long relations in areas covering political, economic, and social as well as cultural and linguistics. He said in the light of the current rapid globalisation and the need to give a new strategic dimension to the partnership between Africa and Europe, the two sides are determined to strengthen co-operation.

At the Airport to see the President off were Professor Atta-Mills, Vice President, Alhaji Iddrisu Mahama, Presidential Adviser on Governmental Affairs, Ministers, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Peter Nanfuri, Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Ben Akafia.