South African Minister calls for strong regional co-operation

Kumasi, Sept 6, GNA- Mr G.P. Mosioua Lekota, the South African Defence Minister, has said Africa needs a strong regional co-operation to be able to solve her problems.

"It is only when we establish a strong regional co-operation that we can understand each other's problems and be committed to finding solutions to them", he said.

Mr Lekota was speaking during a courtesy call on Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, the Ashanti Regional Minister in Kumasi on Friday as part of a three-day working visit to Ghana.

The South African Defence Minister, who is leading a 15-member delegation to the country, will be seeking to establish a strong bilateral military relationship with Ghana.

Mr Lekota said as budding peacekeepers on the continent, South Africa needed to learn a lot from Ghana, which has one of the most disciplined and experienced military on the continent.

He commended Ghana for her role she was playing to bring peace back to Liberia and hoped that all the feuding factions in the conflict that have torn Liberia apart will respect the Peace Accord signed in Ghana.

Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Ghana's Minister of Defence who accompanied Mr Lekota to Kumasi, said as a prominent nation on the continent in terms of economic, infrastructure and military, there was the need for Ghana to strike a firm relationship with South Africa.

He commended South Africa for the interest she has shown in the Liberia crisis and said Mr Lekota's visit will help to finalise preparations towards achieving peace in Liberia as agreed upon with President Thabo Mbeki when he visited Ghana during the peace talks. Mr Boafo said the establishment of the Africa Union required that the continent established a vibrant defence keeping force that will be capable of bringing peace to conflict zones.