Ghana, Turkey eye $1b trade by 2015

Ghana and Turkey have affirmed their commitment to increase their trade portfolio from the current $500 million to $1 billion by 2015.

President John Dramani Mahama and the outgoing Turkish Ambassador, Mr Aydin Nurham, made the pledge yesterday at the Flagstaff House, Kanda in Accra.

Mr Nurham, who has completed his one-and-a-half-year duty tour of Ghana, was at the seat of government to bid President Mahama farewell.

President Mahama commended Mr Nurham for moving Ghana-Turkey relations to a new level, and indicated that, the country was now seeing its physical benefits.

For instance, he said, 10 key business delegations from Turkey had visited Ghana within a span of one year.

That, he said, was a good sign of developing closer relations between Ghana and Turkey.

President Mahama said Ghana and Turkey were halfway through in achieving the $ 1 billion trade portfolio, and indicated that, Ghana was committed to achieving that target.

He said the opening of the Turkish mission in Ghana and the opening of Ghana’s mission in Turkey would deepen ties between the two countries.

Responding, Mr Nurham, who has been posted as a special envoy to Afghanistan, indicated that, the $1 billion trade target between the two nations by 2015 would be achieved.

He promised to continue to support efforts towards strengthening ties between the two countries.

In another development, the outgoing Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Mr Ismail Omar, was at the Flagstaff House to bid the President farewell.

Mr Omar, who has completed a five-year tour of duty of Ghana, commended Ghana for her democratic growth and political stability.

As a result of the prevalent peace in Ghana, he said, the WFP had started keeping items meant for other West African countries in Ghana.

President Mahama affirmed the government’s commitment to increase support for agriculture in terms of seedlings and fertilisers to farmers.

Also at the Flagstaff House was a 30-member business delegation from France.

The leader of the delegation, Mr Patrick Lucas, told the President that, the members were in the country to explore business opportunities in the areas of transportation, energy, oil and gas.

President Mahama said there were numerous business opportunities in Ghana and that, the country was ready to do business with France.

Source: Daily Graphic