Ghana to assist Cote d'Ivoire for peaceful polls

Accra, Nov 4, GNA - President John Atta Mills on Wednesday pledged Ghana's readiness to assist to Cote d'Ivoire to hold a peaceful presidential election.

He spoke about the resurgence of conflicts in some parts of West Africa and said Ghana was interested that Cote d'Ivoire should have peaceful election because development could only take place in an atmosphere of peace.

President Mills said this prior to the reading of a communique, at the Osu Castle in Accra, at the end of a two-day official visit of Ivorian President Laurent Koudou Gbagbo to Ghana. The visit was at the invitation of President Mills and was to reciprocate a similar visit to Cote d'Ivoire last April. President Mills expressed delight at the visit by the Ivorian President whose delegation included the Ministers of Trade, Mines and Energy and Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. He wished the Ivorian leader well in the elections and commended him for his willingness to ensure peace in that country. President Mills said this was an opportune time to display peace in the West African sub-region, adding it was necessary in Cote d'Ivoire for its development.

President Gbagbo expressed thanks to his Ghanaian counterpart and recalled the historical, economic, agricultural and ethnic ties that bonded the two countries together. He said his people were ready to learn from the Ghanaian experience and ready to move and walk hand-in-hand together with Ghana. On Ghana's experience in the cocoa industry, the Ivorian Leader said his country would soon invite Mr John Martey Newman, the Chief of Staff who was a Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board, to share the Ghanaian experience with that country.

President Gbagbo congratulated Ghana's under-20 football team for clinching the World Cup in the last world football tournament in Egypt. He said Cote d'Ivoire would soon invite the Satellites to honour them appropriately, adding that the victory was a manifestation that Africa was poised to come out tops in next year's World Cup football fiesta. The two leaders are scheduled to have launch at the Banquet Hall later in the day.

Former Presidents Jerry Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufour are expected to be at the launch. President Gbagbo returns home later in the afternoon. 04 Nov 09