Govt expresses appreciation to Algeria for scholarship grants

Ghana has expressed gratitude to the Algerian government for its consistent support in building the human resource capacity of Ghanaians through the grant of scholarships for students, the military and other security personnel.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said currently, about 100 Ghanaian students were beneficiaries of the joint Ghana-Algeria government scholarships where the students are studying various disciplines, including medicine, architecture, petroleum, economics and Islamic religious studies, in Algeria.

He said the offer of the scholarships was in line with Ghana’s quest to ensure students were given the best of training to contribute towards the economic growth, innovation and social development of the country to become globally competitive.

This was contained in a speech read on behalf of the President by the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, at a programme organised by the Algerian Embassy in Ghana, to celebrate the 70th National Day of Algeria.

On November 1, 1954, after more than a century under French colonial rule, Algeria gained its independence and freedom.

In attendance at the event in Accra were members of the diplomatic corps, Algerian nationals in Ghana, daughter of former President Nkrumah, Samia Nkrumah, and Sena Oklu, who in the 1950s contributed his first salary to help in the Algerian revolution.

Commendation

The President also commended the Algerian government, as non-parliamentary member of the United Nations Council, for the instrumental role it played in the resolution of humanitarian crisis in the Sahel, through a $1 billion grant it offered through the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation for Humanitarian and Global Interconnection.

“We count on the government of Algeria to continue to streamline the African voice within the United Nations Security Council by reflecting our continent's views and concerns of threats from armed conflicts and the resolution of crisis through the use of African solutions, as well as projecting our aspirations to a United Africa as a tool to foster global unity, inclusivity and development.

“As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Algeria's independence today, let us reaffirm our commitment to unity and solidarity,” he said.

The President further acknowledged the courage and determination of the Algerian people, who fought for their right to self-determination, defying overwhelming odds and enduring unimaginable hardships for their independence in 1962, with the signing of the Alien Accords in March,1962.

He also congratulated the President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, on his re-election this year.

Appreciation

The Algerian Ambassador to Ghana, Mourad Louhaidia, said his country has had a committed relationship with Ghana over the years, and expressed appreciation to the country,  particularly Osaegyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who, he said, played a pivotal role in Algeria’s struggle for freedom.

In line with that, he said Ghana was the first country in the region to welcome an envoy of the Algerian revolution at that time.

“Dr Nkrumah welcomed, 66 years ago, in 1958, the famous writer and freedom fighter, Frantz Fanon, who was the first ambassador of the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic to Ghana during the national liberation war,” the ambassador said.

Currently, Mr Louhaidia said relations between Ghana and Algeria covered cooperation on the political, security, economic, cultural and technical levels.

He said the governments of the two countries were also working together to promote and diversify economic cooperation, especially within the African Continental Free Trade Area, which Ghana was hosting.

The ambassador added that there was the potential to expand the bilateral cooperation to other sectors, such as energy, infrastructure, start-ups and agriculture.

Mr Louhaidia further congratulated the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, on her election as the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.