GHANA and Thailand have agreed to set up a Joint Commission for Cooperation by the third quarter of this year, to foster cooperation in various fields of endeavour, for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Consequently, the two countries have resolved to kick-start the bilateral agreements and frameworks in the short-term, to facilitate the establishment of the proposed commission.
This was disclosed when a Thai delegation conferred with the Vice-President John Mahama at the seat of government. They were accompanied by Mr. Dan Abodakpi, Ghana's Ambassador to Thailand.
The Thai government sees Ghana as a strategic country in the sub-region and hopes to strengthen bilateral and trade relations with it, with a view to using the country as a platform to reach the rest of the ECOWAS countries.
The delegation is interested in investing in Ghana's services sector, the energy sector (purchasing oil from Ghana), and the agricultural sector among others.
Welcoming the delegation, Vice-President Mahama said the country wanted to establish a strong agricultural and industrial based economy and said Ghana stood to benefit immensely from Thai technology and know-how.
He said the Ghana spends about one billion dollars annually to import food, especially those it has a comparative advantage to produce. "If this money goes directly to our local farmers, it will at least change their livelihood," he added.
The Vice-President said with the current situation in the world, there was the need to leverage every single capacity to contribute to food production. In view of that, the Thai know-how and technology in agricultural mechanisation was welcomed, he added.
Vice-President Mahama said it was good that Thailand was looking in the direction of Ghana as it was a good destination for doing business on the African continent. Adding, that the rate of investment returns in Ghana is high besides a stable and peaceful climate.
Dr. Suthad Setboonsarng, head of the Thai delegation said plans to set up a joint commission between the two countries would be tabled before its cabinet hopefully in the second quarter of the year.
He said Thailand would organise an international fair and exhibition, which would be the second largest in the world outside Europe and urged Ghanaian businessmen and women to take advantage of it to showcase their products to the world.
"We have had a good discussion with the private sector in Ghana, and we hope it will be the bedrock of relations between our countries," said Dr. Suthad.
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Story: Office Of The Vice President
1/3/11
