Ukraine has thrown an invitation to Ghana with the hope that the country would join a Global Peace Summit set to be held in Switzerland to implement a peace formula to end the current war in Ukraine following Russian invasion of the country that was once a part of the Soviet Union.
Ukraine is one of the countries that declared its sovereignty in 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union but has come under constant attacks from Russia beginning with the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Speaking at the opening of the Ukrainian Embassy in Accra, Ghana, Ukraine’s Special Envoy to the Middle East and Africa Dr Maksym Subkh said: “We are currently working on the organization of a Global Peace Summit at the level of heads of state and government in Switzerland, which would allow us to begin the process of developing a common peace framework for the restoration of a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace.
We expect that the Republic of Ghana will join the implementation of the Peace Formula and will be among the participants of the upcoming Global Peace Summit.”
Dr Subkh said the opening of the embassy in Accra very much reflects Ukraine’s willingness to develop bilateral contacts at all levels between his country and Ghana.
“Our diplomatic mission will perform a full range of functions developing political contacts, strengthening economic and people-to-people ties, providing consular services to Ukrainians and Ghanaians. We believe that it is through formal and informal humanitarian contacts that we will be able to advance cooperation and understanding between our nations,” he said.
Recalling the history of the relationship between the two countries, he said, years of mutual trust and friendship make the essence of Ukrainian- Ghanian relations.
“The first president of independent Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, visited Ukraine twice, when it was part of the former USSR. Today, Ghana is not only a traditional friend with whom we established diplomatic relations back in 1992. It is a country with which we have achieved extraordinary cooperation in the political and trade spheres as well as at international forums. The dynamics of our relations have been growing exponentially, especially in the recent two years.
The visit of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to Accra in October 2022 gave an important impetus to cooperation between Ukraine and Ghana. During this visit many important issues were discussed, including the implementation of mutually beneficial projects in the fields of trade, agriculture, industry, energy, education, and information technologies. The historic meeting between the Ukrainian and Ghanian presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Nana Akufo-Addo which took place on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos last January, has opened a new page in our relations,” he said.
Dr Subkh indicated that Ukrainian manufacturers and exporters could offer Ghana high quality goods and services at very competitive costs.
“It should be noted that Ukraine has made a great deal of work over the past few years to prepare for the opening of the land market, several important draft laws have been adopted. Digital technologies, such as electronic land (e-land) registries and electronic services (e-services), play a very important role in this process.
At the same time, I hope that the opening of our Embassy in Accra will increase the opportunities for the Ghanaian side to access Ukraine’s marketplace, increase exposure for ‘made in Ghana’ goods, and create more job opportunities,” he said.
He added that before the Russian full-scale military aggression in February 2022 the trade volume with Ghana reached more that $300 million. Nevertheless, he said, there is still significant untapped potential for its further expansion and diversification.
“In this regard, we look forward to seizing every opportunity that the African Continental Free Trade Agreement can provide for expanding of trade and economic cooperation between Ukraine and all African states,” he said.
In his remarks, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Ghana, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong said, Ghana continues to demonstrate its unwavering support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity including joining UN General Assembly Resolutions condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
“Our participation in the online International Crimea Platform Summit on August 23, 2022 underscores our solidarity with Ukraine in addressing the ongoing occupation of Crimea,” he said.
Among other things, he said economic and trade relations between Ghana and Ukraine have shown promising signs, with Ghana exporting significant commodities such as manganese, aluminum ore, and cocoa powder to Ukraine.
“Conversely, Ukraine has supplied Ghana with hot-rolled iron bars, raw iron bars, and cold-rolled iron. These exchanges have laid a foundation for deeper economic cooperation between our nations. However, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has disrupted these trade dynamics, impeding progress towards meaningful strategic outcomes. Despite these challenges, Ghana remains committed to exploring avenues for enhancing bilateral relations once stability is restored in the region,” he said.
He gave the assurance that in the face of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Ghana’s stance remains resolute in unequivocal support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Since the outbreak of hostilities, Ghana has consistently condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, viewing it as a disregard for international norms and the fundamental principles enshrined in the UN Charter. Our commitment to upholding global peace and security has been evident through active participation in international platforms,” he added.
By Emmanuel K Dogbevi
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