Equatorial Guinea to tap Ghana's expertise to host CAN 2012

Peduase, Sept. 8, GNA - Equatorial Guinea has solicited Ghana's expertise to co-host the 2012 edition of the African Cup of Nations with Gabon.

The oil-rich nation recognises Ghana's prowess in sports and is counting on her assistance for the football fiesta among other areas of common interest.

Alhaji Mohamed Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs and his counterpart from Equatorial Guinea, Pastor Micha Ondo Bile, separately announced this on the second of a four-day state visit of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to Ghana at the Peduase Lodge, near Aburi in the Eastern Region where the two leaders are holding bilateral talks in a closed door meeting.

Aside the discussions at the level of the leaders, sector ministers are holding discussions areas such as agriculture, tourism, hydro carbon, marine transportation, education, labour, and gender and women equity.

Relations between the two nations dated back to the era of Tetteh Quarshie, when he brought cocoa from the Island of Fernando Po, near the Equatorial Guinea.

The two nations have inched up their bilateral ties and co-operation in recent years with visits by their leaders, the last of which was one by President Mills in May this year.

President Mbasogo's visit, which is at the invitation of President Mills, is to reciprocate that of President Mills, during which the two Presidents signed an agreement for Equatorial Guinea to deliver two million barrels of crude oil to Ghana annually.

The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation took delivery of more than one million barrels last week in fulfillment of that agreement.

The visit of the Equatorial Guinea President is to strengthen the historical and economic ties between the two nations.

The Equatorial Guinea President was accompanied by a 66-member delegation including Ministers of State who are also holding talks at the ministerial levels.

Former President Jerry Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufour would join President Mills to have launch with President Mbasogo.

As part of the visit, President Mbasogo would visit SIDALCO, a fertilizer company on the Accra-Tema Motorway and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana at Tafo in the Eastern Region.

President Mbasogo will leave for his home country on Friday after the reading of a signed joint communiqu=E9 by the two nations.

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