The United Kingdom is to launch a new 10-year development partnership with Ghana in reward for the country’s good democratic governance and prudent economic policies, Prime Minister Tony Blair, announced at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday.
The programme, which would come on-stream next year, would provide an opportunity for the UK to improve the quality of its development
assistance to Ghana.
Blair was addressing a joint press conference with visiting President John Agyekum Kufuor, after bilateral talks during which, both leaders reviewed the relations between their countries.
They also used the opportunity to discuss extensively broader issues outside their bilateral relations such as the conflicts in Darfur, Somalia and other troubled spots in Africa.
Blair noted that President Kufuor had demonstrated strong leadership and shown remarkable capability to make optimal use of financial support to his country to fight poverty and raise the quality of life of the people.
He paid tribute to Ghana for the role it had been playing to bring peace and political stability to the continent.
In response to a question concerning Zimbabwe, Blair said what was happening there was truly tragic, and expressed his country’s determination to work with the AU to bring normalcy to that country.
“1 feel sorry for the people in Zimbabwe. What is happening to Zimbabwe is a tragedy,” he said.
On Darfur, Blair called on the international community to send a strong signal to the Sudan Government, that it was prepared to take decisive action.
Kufuor welcomed Britain’s special long-term partnership arrangement planned for Ghana and said the vision of the country was to achieve middle income status.
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