Dutch Royals In Ghana; Call on JAK

The Crown Prince of the Netherlands, Prince Willem-Alexander and the wife Princess Maxima arrived in Accra on Sunday to begin a four-day official visit to Ghana. The visit forms part of the commemoration of the 300 years celebration of diplomatic relations between Ghana and the Netherlands.

Vice President Aliu Mahama, ministers and the Dutch Ambassador in Ghana, Mr Alex Heldring, met the couple on arrival. The La Kpaa Wulomo, Nii Yemote Odoi, poured libation for the safe arrival of the couple.

Prince Willem-Alexander would call on President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu, attend the opening and closing sessions of the International Conference on Water Management as well as the opening ceremony of the City Consultation meeting at the Elmina Castle. The Netherlands and the Ghana government together participate in "Project Elmina" which is aimed at restoring the Castle.

The royal couple would visit Kumasi to pay a courtesy call on the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, meet representatives of the African Women Forum and be guest at a state banquet to be hosted by the Vice-President Aliu Mahama. Prince Willem-Alexander was born on 27 April 1967 and is the first child of Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus of the Netherlands.

..... calls on President Kufuor

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Sunday described the Netherlands as one of the foremost supporters of Ghana's socio-economic development since independence. He said the Netherlands had assisted Ghana in many fields including education, health, infrastructure such as roads and the provision of potable water.
President Kufuor was speaking when the Crown Prince of the Netherlands, Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima called on him shortly on arrival to begin a four-day official visit to Ghana to mark the 300 years of relations between the two countries.
President Kufuor said ties between them had grown from strength to strength adding, "the royal visit to Ghana was truly an icing on the cake for Ghana. We hope you will enjoy your stay with us".
He said with the participation of the Crown Prince in the International Water Conference in Accra, which begins on Monday, Ghana would benefit from his personal expertise in the field of water resources management. Prince Willem-Alexander said the visit would provide an opportunity to review diplomatic relations between the two countries over the past years and chart links for the future.
He said the visit was the first official one outside the Netherlands with the Princess. Present at the Castle, were Vice President Aliu Mahama, ministers and the Dutch Ambassador in Ghana, Mr Alex Heldring
Apart from participating in the International Conference on Water Management, he would attend the opening of the City Consultation meeting at the Elmina Castle. The Netherlands and the Ghana government are participating in "Project Elmina" to restore the Castle.
The royal couple would visit Kumasi on Tuesday to pay a courtesy call on the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, meet representatives of the African Women
Forum and be the guest at a state banquet to be hosted by the Vice-President. Prince Willem-Alexander was born on 27 April 1967 and is the first child of Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus.