Foreign Minister to attend Nordic-Africa meeting

Accra, March 10, GNA - The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, would this week attend a two-day meeting of Nordic-Africa foreign ministers in Copenhagen, Denmark. The meeting slated for March 11-12 would bring together all the foreign ministers of the five Nordic countries - Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland - and their counterparts from 10 African countries - Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Benin, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Botswana.

A statement issued by the sector ministry on Tuesday said the objective of instituting the annual forum was to create an environment in which Nordic and African countries could network, view and share ideas related to foreign policy challenges affecting their regions and the international community.

"The meeting, which was instituted in 2000, would also afford the ministers an opportunity to identify stumbling blocks to close cooperation and ways of removing such obstacles." The statement said the 10 African countries were selected due to their commitment to democratic governance.

The meeting would discus peace and security in Africa, security implications of climate change in Africa, security challenges of piracy, Sudan/Darfur and Zimbabwe. 10 March 09