Ghana’s peace, economic growth attract Hungary — Hungarian President

Hungary is attracted to Ghana because of its stability, peace and being one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, the President of Hungary, Mr Janos Ader, has stated.

“In terms of political stability, Ghana is one of the most politically stable countries in this region and Africa as a whole. Ghana is one of the countries that has proven and shown the largest economic growth post-COVID-19 and these reasons substantiate our working together to strengthen our relations,” he added.

Mr Ader stated this during a state banquet President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo held in his honour at the Jubilee House last Thursday night.

The two Presidents had earlier had a tete-a-tete before leading their ministers to deliberate on how to improve on existing ties on education, health, hydrology and sanitation, among others.

Mr Ader, who is accompanied by his wife, Mrs Anita Herczegh, was met at the Jubilee House by President Akufo-Addo and the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, after the all-white-dressed Ghana Navy Officers treated the visiting President to a guard of honour and 21-gun salute.

Mr Ader said other areas of the cooperation which would be given a boost was water management, agriculture, and education.

He noted that during the past last five years, Ghanaian students studying in Hungary had increased by three and a half fold.

He expressed the hope that those students who studied architecture, engineering, medicine, agriculture would put to good use their knowledge for the benefit of the people of Ghana and for the realisation of their aspirations.

Ghana

President Akufo-Addo acknowledged Hungary’s achievements in technology, hydrology and sanitation, Agribusiness and food technology, among others, stressing that these were all relevant to
Ghana in its quest for rapid transformation of its economy.

He expressed the optimism that the visit would lay a strong foundation for a new and mutually beneficial cooperation.

He said he expected the ties between the two nations would be replicated in the relations between the private sector which would enhance exchanges between them.

MoU

President Akufo-Addo mentioned the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries in the area of sanitation and water management resources.

That, he said, led to a 50-million-euro facility from the EXIM Bank of Hungary to be granted to one of the leading private sector operators of Ghana, the JUSPON Group of Companies, for the building of waste treatment plants, in Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, and Dambai.

Pillars

President Akufo-Addo said one of the essential pillars of the relationship must be the mutual nurturing of the youth because they were the ones to inherit the legacy of the current cooperative endeavours.

“It is my desire that we pay close attention to educational and cultural exchanges between Ghanaian and Hungarian youth to enable us to deepen the understanding between our peoples and make better use of the strong friendship,” he added.

He commended Hungary for the large number of scholarship it had been granting to Ghanaian youth to continue to study in that country.

UN

President Akufo-Addo said as members of the United Nations, the two countries should continue to cooperate effectively to create a safer and more secure world and oppose resolutely the spread of terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, Europe and in the world.