C'Wealth To Assist Developing Countries

Mr Don McKinnon, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on Friday said the organisation was prepared to assist developing countries to have the same capacity in negotiations in the global market.

He said there was the need for globalisation but the negotiations had always been in favour of the developed countries. The "Commonwealth is prepared to undertake some productive work for developing countries to have the same capacity in negotiations in the global market," he said.

Mr McKinnon was speaking to newsmen after paying a courtesy call on President J.A. Kufuor at the Castle, Osu.

It was to provide an opportunity for President Kufuor and Mr McKinnon to exchange views on recent developments within the Commonwealth in the context of the Coolum Declaration adopted at this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Coolum, Australia.

The Secretary-General, was on a three-day official visit to Ghana.

He addressed a youth forum on the Commonwealth Youth for Future Programme at the University of Ghana, Legon on Friday and visited the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in Kumasi on Saturday.

Mr McKinnon commended President Kufuor for his commitment to Commonwealth activities in the West African sub-region, saying; "he is one of the key leaders of the Commonwealth in this part of the world".

He said Ghanaians had contributed immensely towards Commonwealth activities especially at the Secretariat, in terms of consultancy services and the promotion of democracy in Commonwealth countries. He also mentioned the assistance of Ghanaians as electoral observers and the role Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, Ghana's Electoral Commissioner, is playing in the electoral process in Sierra Leone.

Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who accompanied Mr McKinnon, said the Commonwealth has offered to assist Ghana to establish a training centre on production of jewellery.