Politics

Akufo-Addo is expected to leave the country for a 9-day official visit – check out the date and more

 President Akufo-Addo is expected to leave Ghana for an official visit to Europe and South Africa. The visit which is said to commence on Sunday, May 16, 2021, will see the President spending nine days out of the country.

 He is expected to visit France and Belgium aside South Africa.

 President Akufo-Addo will be accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Finance, and officials of the Presidency and the Foreign Ministries. He will be joined in Brussels by the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).

REASON FOR THE VISIT

 The President is undertaking this visit relative to the economic development of the country. The country being Business-friendly has many alliances within the African continent and other parts of the world.

 On May 18, he will be attending a summit in Paris, France. The summit which is to be chaired by the French President, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron is with the motion of Financing African Economies

 The summit is organized to connecting some African and European leaders and heads of international financial institutions to devise strategies that will boost strong, inclusive recovery in Africa following the coronavirus pandemic.

 This development is in line with the United Nations (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

It is expected that a financial package will be devised to enable African countries to overcome the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. 

 The President is expected to also held a discussions with the Managing Director of the IMF and the President of the World Bank who will both be attending the Summit.

 The discussions with these two is also geared towards economic development of the country.

 The President will also visit Brussels, Belgium, on May 19 after his summit in Paris. This visit is a meeting with the President of the European Council, His Excellency M. Charles Michel.  

 The meeting will see the President interacting with stakeholders committed to the partnership between Ghana and the European Union.

 The discussion with H.E. Charles will focus on  security issues, as well as on sustainability issues in the cocoa and fisheries sectors of Ghana.

 President Akufo-Addo is again expected to meet with the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Dr. Werner Hoyer, and sign a deal that would involve €160 million between EIB and the Ministry of Finance,Ghana, towards the establishment of the National Development Bank (NDB).

 He is also going to meet with Ms. Jutta Urpilainen, the EU Commissioner on International Co-operation, to discuss issues relating to the COVAX Facility, which is currently supplying COVID-19 vaccines to the country.

 The tour is expected to end in Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 24. In South Africa however, the President is to address the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).

 The tour is expected to end on May 24, and the President would be expected to return on May 25, 2021. Meanwhile the Vice President would be expected to take over in his absence.