Accra, Sept. 14, GNA - Vice President Aliu Mahama on Thursday expressed the need for Ghana and Egypt to reactivate the nine-year old Joint Commission for Cooperation between the two developing countries. The Commission would boost bilateral ties in the areas of telecommunication, agri-business and tourism. Vice President Alhaji Mahama made the suggestion when he met with the newly posted Egyptian Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Seif Allah Noseir at the Castle, Osu.
He also called for increased cooperation between the two countries in trade and investment.
Vice President Alhaji Mahama said Ghana had had excellent relations with Egypt, dating back to the 1950s when the two allies were combating colonialism on the African Continent.
He said the First President of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and his Egyptian counterpart; Gamal Abdel Nasser were virtually bedfellows, adding that President Nkrumah's marriage to Fathia; an Egyptian woman, even made the bilateral ties a family affair. Vice President Alhaji Mahama lauded the Northern African country for training Ghanaian agriculturists and hotel managers and the posting of medical doctors to the rural areas of the country. He said Ghana was interested in the unity of Africa within the framework of New Partnership for Africa's Development. He used the meeting to invite the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak to attend Ghana's Golden Jubilee celebration of her Independence in 2006.
Vice President Alhaji Mahama also sent his condolence to Egypt over the death of Naguib Mahfouz, the country's 1998 Nobel Prize Literature Laureate, who died last month. Mr Noseir recalled the historic relations between the two countries and said he would use his duty tour to boost technical cooperation. He said Egypt had provided 150 technical experts to Ghana since 1984, adding that currently 12 medical doctors were serving in the country with seven in the Northern Region. Mr Noseir said five teachers were also in the country teaching science and Arabic.
