Invitations keep pouring in for Kufuor to pay state visits

Accra, July 22, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor continues to receive invitations from countries across the world to visit and be honoured as he prepares to leave office after a successful eight-year tenure.

Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President, in a press release mentioned the United States, United Kingdom, China, Germany, Netherlands, South Africa and Bulgaria among the countries to have extended formal invitations.

The common theme running through all these is the acknowledgement by the governments of these nations of the exemplary leadership of President Kufuor, Mr Awuni said.

He said they have all described him as "a model for democratic leadership" on the Continent and praised his contributions to peace-building in the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole.

The release said they mentioned in particular his mediation effort in the Kenyan electoral dispute.

President Kufuor's response to the invitations, it said, was that even though he would have wished to honour most of them, his tight schedule and the upcoming political electioneering campaign made it simply impossible for him to do so.

He has, however, accepted those from the Governments of Germany, the US and Netherlands for state visits in August, September and October, respectively.

Meanwhile, the President has also been invited as the Special Guest of honour to this year's Emancipation Day Celebration, scheduled for July 29 to August 3, 2008 in Trinidad and Tobago and will leave Accra on Saturday, July 26, for this trip.

From there he would continue on the invitation of the Government of China to Beijing to participate in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games.

The President is expected back home on August 10, 2008.