President J.A. Kufuor, on Tuesday evening returned home from Cote D'Ivoire after a four-day official visit to that country.
He was accompanied by Mr. Hackman Owusu Agyeman, Foreign Minister, Dr. Kwesi Ndoum, Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Co-operation and Gen. Joshua Hamidu, National Security Advisor.
Speaking to Journalists on arrival, The Foreign Minister described the visit as successful, at the end of which a communiqu? was issued calling for an urgent meeting of the Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire joint permanent commission.
The commission is to fast track issues discussed by the two leaders, who pledged their commitment to co-operate to enhance their economies as well as unite their people.
He said the joint commission would resolve the bottlenecks that have characterised trade and currency issues within the two countries, as well as reduce the difficulty in the movement of goods and people across their borders.
The Foreign Minister said the two leaders also agreed to strengthen cultural ties in the form of exchange of students, information, scientific research and promote tourism between the two countries.
President Kufuor, who was in Yamosoukro, went to Sakasu where he was installed a King, with the title Kwame Gye Tua the third, by the king and people of Bawule, who are believed to be the direct descendants of the Ashantis.
The President was also decorated at a state dinner with the highest order of Cote d'Ivoire, titled the "Grand Cross" in appreciation of his service and contribution to peace in the sub-region and good neighbourliness in general.
Mr. Owusu Agyeman said the peace and stability in the sub-region was discussed, especially the Mannor river state where the leaders agreed to give the needed support, both monetary and in human terms to enhance the work of ECOWAS as well as the African Union.
In Abidjan, President Kufuor had the opportunity to address the National Reconciliation forum of Cote D'Ivoire where he was emphatic that peace in Cote d'Ivoire is a catalyst to peace in the sub-region as a whole.
Also at the forum were the current chairman of ECOWAS, Mr. Alpha Konare, four other African leaders and a representative of the UN Secretary General, all of whom addressed the forum.
At the Airport to meet the President and his entourage were the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers, the Chief of Defence Staff Lt.- Gen Seth Obeng, the IGP Mr Ernest Owusu Poku and the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr. Ibrahim Omar.
