Spain and Ghana to continue bilateral cooperation

Accra, June 10, GNA - Ghana and Spain on Thursday agreed to continue all outstanding bilateral cooperation stalled due to the absence of a substantive envoy from that country to Ghana.

Areas to receive immediate attention include collaboration between Spain's security agencies and Ghana Police Service to combat crime and tackle the issue of illegal immigration.

Spain's Ambassador to Ghana, Olga Carbaga Gomez announced this during a visit to the Interior Ministry in Accra as part of a familiarisation tour of various institutions that had relations with Spain. The envoy arrived in Ghana last month and presented her credentials to President John Evans Atta Mills a fortnight ago. Ms Gomez said the tour was to acquaint herself with the existing levels of cooperation with those institutions and engage such institutions on efforts to enhance bilateral programmes.

She reaffirmed Spain's determination to cooperate in areas mutually beneficial to both countries and expressed the hope that Ghana and Spain would collaborate effectively to further strengthen existing ties. Interior Minister, Martin A.B.K. Amidu recalled the long-standing relations between the two countries.

He said the Ministry had had fruitful contacts with Spain and expressed the hope that the ambassador's arrival signalled the beginning of more successful engagements and a chance to revisit all outstanding issues of collaborations. "I am happy you are here to cement relations between our two countries and I wish you a fruitful tour of duty in our country," he said.