Kenyan President, Dr William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto, has described Ghana’s democracy as a beacon of hope and an inspiration to many countries, especially with the emergence of unconstitutional governments from all directions.

He explained that Kenya was proud of Ghana’s democracy, particularly the almost equal Members of Parliament for both the Minority and Majority which, he said, demonstrated the level of maturity of Ghana’s democracy and the extent to which it was entrenched.

President Ruto made the commendation during bilateral talks between Ghana and Kenya as part of his three-day state visit to Ghana at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.

President Ruto, who led a high-powered delegation of ministers and businessmen to Ghana, was given full honours by the Ghana Navy which mounted a guard of honour for him to inspect.

The Navy also fired a 21-gun salute and played the national anthems of both countries. President Akufo-Addo and the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, met the Kenyan President and his spouse at the foyer of the Jubilee House and after exchanging pleasantries, greeted the ministers from both countries.

The two Presidents then had a tete-a-tete and later joined the bilateral meeting which culminated in the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), while the bilateral relations were moved to the level of a bi-national commission.

President Ruto indicated that they had agreed that the inaugural session of the Bi-national Commission would provide the two countries with an opportunity to reaffirm friendship, deepen bilateral ties and strengthen the normal course of African economic integration.

He explained that as the home of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, Ghana was leading a force in economic integration and development and, therefore, commended President Akufo-Addo for spearheading the AfCFTA Secretariat.

Visa requirements

President Ruto said the recent announcement by Ghana to remove entry fees for all Africans by December this year aligned with one of the goals of the AfCFTA to create a single market on the continent to drive economic growth, grow and create more jobs, and eradicate poverty.

He said he had also in a similar vein removed visa requirements for visitors from all African countries with effect from January 1, this year. President Ruto commended President Akufo-Addo for his role as the Champion for African Union institutions, which include the Africa Central Bank, the Africa International Monetary Fund, the Africa Investment Bank, and the Pan African Stock Exchange.

He reiterated his endorsement of President Akufo-Addo’s determination to ensure the building of these institutions as a mechanism for consolidating the economic and financial situation on the continent.

“I concur, President, that we should as African countries, invest in these institutions, and Kenya last year invested $40 million in Afreximbank. We are considering investing in Trade and Development Bank as a way of putting a stamp of approval on these institutions and building their capacity to assist us develop our own financial institutions,” he added.

“What the President is championing is going to be part of the consolidation of the reform of the enhancement of institutions that will support the progress and prosperity of our continent,” he added.

Accra Initiative

President Ruto said through the Accra Initiative facilitated by President Akufo-Addo, the fight against terrorism and efforts to address the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government in the Sahel and West Africa regions had been enhanced.

“As a nation, Kenya looks forward to receiving continuous support from Ghana in addressing terrorism and other threats, so as to guarantee peace and security in Africa, in our region, and globally as well,” he said.

Support
President Ruto gave an assurance that Kenya would provide full support for Ghana’s bid to secure the position of Secretary General of the Commonwealth and also solicited Ghana’s support for Kenya’s candidature for the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

Economic ties grow

President Akufo-Addo said trade and economic ties had been growing steadily between Ghana and Kenya, with both nations fostering deeper understanding and support for each other on international platforms, including the United Nations, the African Union, and the Commonwealth.

He said they had been advocating common positions on issues such as climate change and sustainable development, and their relations were marked by mutual respect, cooperation and a shared commitment to further the interest of their own countries and the African continent.

President Akufo-Addo said the talks focused on boosting domestic and foreign investment in the two nations, as well as the need for improved cooperation and participation in development activities.

He thanked Kenya for its support in Ghana's quest to host the AfCFTA Secretariat, stating that the AfCFTA's importance should not be underestimated, "as its successful operation has the potential to transform the continent's economic circumstances."

President Akufo-Addo stated that Ghana, Kenya, and six other countries' involvement in the AfCFTA's Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) would boost intra-African trade, increase the continent's competitive advantage, and strengthen its position in the global market.

He said the GTI had enabled Ghana to make significant inroads into the East African markets, particularly Kenya and Tanzania, with over 700 AfCFTA-certified products from Ghana, including cosmetics, processed foods, beverages, coconut oil, shea butter, and groundnuts, being targeted at the AfCFTA markets.

The President said the two sides also discussed in further detail potential areas of collaboration such as education, trade and industry, agriculture, tourism, defence, cooperation, immigration, environment, science and technology, petroleum and hydrocarbon development, tourism, and security.

He was hopeful that the signing and implementation of the MoUs would promote and drive cooperation between the two countries.