Strengthening bilateral trade with Ghana

ACCRA - Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma during his bilateral meeting with the President of Republic of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills, here on Saturday underlined the need for enhancing bilateral trade with Ghana.

Anand Sharma who had wide ranging discussion covering all sectors of trade and investment with President Mills, impressed upon his hosts the need of an assured gas supply commitment by 2014 for the one billion dollar ammonia-urea fertilizer plant in Ghana for which an MoU was signed recently between the two countries.

Other related issues of availability of land, potable water and infrastructural development for the project were also raised during the discussion.

Responding to the request of Government of Ghana’s interest for an early closure of an enduring distributorship agreement between Ghana Heavy Equipment and BEML for supplying earth moving equipment by the end of the year, Sharma assured that the Government of India would take up the matter on priority.

Anand Sharma also assured a favourable consideration of a request from the Ghanaian side for concessional Lines of Credit for completing infrastructure gaps in the Ghana Free Zones Area and for development of an integrated trade centre.

He also offered training support through the Indian institutions - Petroleum Research Institute (PRI) and Centre for WTO Studies at IIFT in response to a request made by Ghana Trade and Industry Minister Hannah Tetteh.

The President of Ghana stated that his country valued its relationship with India.

“Ghana would like to share India’s experience of successfully implementing development projects leading to all-round development achieved in the last six decades,” said President Mills.

Ghana Vice President John Dramani Mahama was also present in the meeting.

Sharma, who is in Ghana as part of India’s ‘Focus Africa’ policy to explore new markets in the African continent, is leading a CII-industry delegation here covering oil and gas, energy, pharmaceutical, fertilizer, electrical equipment, banking and consultancy.

Both sides specifically identified cooperation in pharmaceuticals, information technology and energy sector as their key priorities.

Earlier on Friday, India Friday urged Ghana to sign at the earliest a bilateral treaty aimed at protecting and promoting their investments in each other’s territories. (ANI)