Ghana ready to strengthen relations with DRC, says Akufo-Addo
The President gave the assurance when he received the President of the DRC, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, at the Jubilee House
President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has told his Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, counterpart that it is time for the two countries to strengthen their bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of security and trade.
He made the call when he received the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, at the Jubilee House today 20 October 2022, as part of his two-day official state visit to Ghana.
“We know that the relations between us [Ghana and DRC] go way back to Congolese independence. The first serious foreign policy initiative of Ghana had to do with the dispatch of Ghanaian troops by President Nkrumah to assist the then Prime Minister, Patrice Émery Lumumba , under the UN peace keeping mandate and ever since then, Ghana has become a peacekeeping country sending troops” President Akufo-Addo said.
“So, these are strong relations and we think that the time has come to enhance and build those relations even stronger than they have been in the past. We are very happy to have you here” President Akufo-Addo added.
Security challenges
On the security situation on the African continent, President Akufo-Addo noted that he knows “that there are matters of common interests in terms of security” in Ghana and in DRC.
“We have a lot of security issues in West Africa which I am sure you are fully abreast with. The jihadist menace which we have here coming from the Sahel which is next door to us in Burkina Faso to the north of our country, is a major concern for us” Akufo-Addo noted.
“In the same way, you have these same kinds of people in the Central part of the continent which is also a problem for you. I think that that provides us an opportunity to be able to have some clear ideas of how we can all work together to rid our continent of this [Jihadist and Terrorists activities] menace” the President further pointed out.
Request for support
President of the DRC, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, in his remarks noted that the volatile security situation in his country is largely due to the support being given to rebels fighting his country by neighbouring Rwanda.
To this end, President Tshisekedi, called on President Akufo-Addo and for that matter, Ghana, to use its seat on the Untied Nations Security Council (UNSC) to advocate for sanctions to be preferred against Rwanda in order to stop them from supporting the non state actors disturbing the peace of DRC .
He also pushed for President Akufo-Addo, to use Ghana’s UNSC seat to press the UN to lift the arms purchase embargo on the DRC to allow them to buy ammunition to defend themselves as a sovereign country.
Talks/state lunch
As part of the visit, President Akufo-Addo and his delegation held bilateral talks with President Tshisekedi and his delegation.
President Akufo-Addo subsequently hosted President Tshisekedi and his delegation to a state lunch at the banquet hall of Jubilee House.
Wilberforce Asare
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