President János Áder said Ghana, a country with a “promising economy and a stable, democratic system” occupies a “prominent role” in Hungary’s Africa policy.
President Áder held talks with Akufo-Addo, his Ghanaian counterpart, in Accra, which were a part of a multi-day visit focused on areas of cooperation aimed at boosting foreign trade and securing mutual benefits. At the talks, Akufo-Addo pointed to similar objectives for the two countries, saying both Hungary and Ghana had “turned their back on an authoritarian past and built democratic governments with respect for the rule of law and human rights”. The two presidents confirmed their wish to cooperate in the areas of trade, pharmaceuticals, info-communications, water management and environment protection, he said. They also agreed to set up a mixed economic committee to promote bilateral projects.
Akufo-Addo thanked Hungary for its help to Ghana in its endeavours to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. The two presidents discussed security challenges around the Sahel region, especially concerning jihadist forces that pose a serious threat. The presence of UN peacekeepers in the area should be increased rather than reduced, Akufo-Addo said.
At a press conference held after the talks, President Áder noted Ghana’s largest sewage treatment plant was built with Hungarian involvement in 2021, adding that two similar projects were in the pipeline. The talks touched upon two model farms built in Ghana with Hungarian assistance, using Hungarian experience in developing grains and plants that tolerate various climates, Áder said, adding that that area offered further opportunities for bilateral cooperation. President Áder noted Hungarian container technologies to purify drinking water in areas with little infrastructure, adding that Hungary would also share technologies to supply small settlements with desalinated sea water.
President Áder and Akufo-Addo discussed educational ties and agreed on increasing the number of scholarships offered by Hungary to Ghanaian students. They noted that the number of Ghanaian students in Hungary had increased by 3.5 times during the past five years. President Áder is the first Hungarian president to visit Ghana since 1989. During his stay, he will visit Newill Academy in Koforidua, whose renovation was partly funded through the Hungary Helps programme, and view a sewage treatment plant in Kumasi, which employs Hungarian technology.
Photo credit: MTI