Ghana, Burkina pledge to strengthen trade ties

Ghana and Burkina Faso have agreed to improve on trade relations for the mutual benefit of the peoples of both countries.

The two countries have also agreed to expedite the establishment of the Joint Commission for Co-operation that would speed up agreements in the areas of rail and road transport, agriculture, water management, trade and energy.

These were the outcome of talks when the Burkinabe President, Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who is on a two-day state visit to Ghana, met with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.

During a joint press conference after bilateral talks, President Nana Addo disclosed that the two countries were in talks to finding a lasting solution to the annual spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, which often has disastrous consequences for communities downstream, especially in the northern part of Ghana.

Another outcome of the talks between the two heads of state is an agreement on quarterly meetings between ministers of the two countries to address issues of mutual concern.

Again, there were discussions on convening a meeting of the Volta Basin Authority, which comprises some six countries in the West African region.

President Nana Addo noted further that both nations also agreed to collaborate with the support of ECOWAS, establish a joint border post to facilitate trade and free movement of their people, goods and services. They also decided to work together in support of the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) under the auspices of the African Union.

The President said works were underway for the connection of electricity from Ghana to Burkina Faso, the transhipment of goods between the two countries, and how to deal with the Fulani herdsmen issue.

He said Ghana and Burkina Faso shared a common history, geography and views on issues confronting West Africa and the continent, thus it stood to reason that the two nations increased the bond of friendship between them.

President Nana Akufo-Addo conferred Ghana’s highest honour, Companion of the Order of the Star, on Mr Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

The award is in recognition of the Burkinabe leader's distinguished leadership and commitment to the progress and development of his country, West Africa, and Africa.

The award is the highest honour that could be bestowed on a foreign dignitary.

Conferring the award on the Burkinabe leader, President described him as “one of the outstanding figures of modern Burkinabe history.”

“He’s distinguished himself as someone committed to the welfare of his people and the progress of Burkina Faso, and indeed West Africa and Africa" he said.

During President Akufo-Addo’s visit to Burkina Faso last year, the governments of both countries agreed to strengthen the ties of co-operation that existed between the two countries.

President Akufo-Addo described as fruitful, the deliberations between him and Mr Kabore in Accra, as “we have had personal meetings and meetings between delegations of both governments and have been able to cover a lot of grounds, and have no doubt when implemented would benefit our populations”.

Mr Kabore, on his part, expressed gratitude to the President for the honour done him and for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation.

He pledged to ensure that the relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso was tremendously improved, and assured that his government would work to bring to fruition, the agreements made in Accra.