Ghana, Qatar hold talks

The foreign ministries of Ghana and Qatar held a round of political consultations in Accra Friday.

Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs Secretary General HE Dr Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi chaired the Qatari side during the talks, while Shirley Ayorkor Botchway of Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration chaired the Ghanaian side.

During the consultations, they discussed bilateral relations and ways to boost and develop them in various fields, in addition to discussing the latest regional and international developments.

In November last year, the Governments of the Republic of Ghana and State of Qatar signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of partnerships between the two countries.

The signing ceremony took place on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, when the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, paid a day’s official visit to Qatar, where he held bilateral talks with the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The first MoU signed was the “Agreement on for the avoidance of Double Taxation and the prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income”. This agreement would help to alleviate territorial double taxation of the same income by the two countries. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Government of Ghana by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, and, on behalf of Qatar, by Mr. Ali Shareef Alamadi, Minister for Finance.

The next MoU was on “The Regulation of Manpower Employment in the State of Qatar”, signed, on behalf of Ghana, by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, and, on behalf of Qatar, by Mr. Uposif Bin Mohammed Al Othman, Minister for Administrative Development and Labour and Social Affairs.

The third and fourth MoUs signed were “Abolishing Visa Requirements for the holders of diplomatic and special passports”, and the “Establishment of consultations on issues of mutual interest between the Government of the State of Qatar and the Government of the Republic of Ghana.” These were both signed, on behalf of Ghana, by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, and, on behalf of Qatar, by Mr. Sultan Bin Saad Al Muraikhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

The “Memorandum of Understanding between Qatar Chamber and Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry” was the last to be signed. This was done by Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankwoso I, President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Shaikh Khalifa Bin Jassim Bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatar Chamber.