Ghana Pledges to Back Angola's WHO Candidate

Ghanaian authorities today in Accra pledged to back the candidature of Angolan Luis Sambo to the post of Africa director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) whose election is set for September this year.

The pledge came from Ghana president, John Kufoor, during an audience he granted Angolan deputy minister of foreign affairs, George Chicoty, who handed him a message from head of State, Jos? Eduardo dos Santos.

The message tackles several matters related to the bilateral relations existing between the two countries.

The meeting also served for the Angolan diplomat to brief the host president on the current situation in the country.

On the occasion, the two parties expressed the interest to have the existing bilateral relations strengthened, having as well discussed the opening of a diplomatic mission in the Ghanaian capital.

Currently, Angola is represented to that West Africa Nation by non-resident ambassador, Evaristo Domingos Kimba, based in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, a diplomatic source said that effort is under way to set up an embassy of Angola in Accra.

The audience also served for the confirmation of the visit to Angola in March of the speaker of the Ghanaian National Assembly, in response to an invitation from his Angolan counterpart, Roberto V?ctor de Almeida.

The audience was attended by the Ghanaian health minister and the current chairman of WHO executive council for Africa and by ambassador Evaristo Kimba and the Angola candidate, Lu?s Sambo.

President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' envoy is expected today night in Benin for a similar mission.

He will hand to local president, Mathieu Kerekou, a message from his Angolan counterpart.

George Chicoty started last week a tour that has led him to Senegal, Gambia and C?te D'Ivoire.

He will then travel to Gabon, where he will be received by local head of State, Omar Bongo, to whom he will hand a letter from the Angolan president.

Next week, the Angolan diplomat will travel to Nigeria where he will hand a message to local head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo, before moving on to Kenya.