Accra, June 28, GNA - Ghana on Tuesday honoured Mr Kaikhisrou K. Framji, outgoing Indian High Commissioner in Ghana, with the State Honour of the Grand Medal (Honorary Division). President John Agyekum Kufuor decorated Mr Framji with the medal when he paid a farewell call on him at the Castle, Osu.

Mr Framji assumed office in June 2002 with concurrent accreditation in four other African countries - Burkina Faso, Togo, Niger and Central African Republic.

President Kufuor commended Mr Framji for the improved ties between the two countries during his tour of duty. He mentioned the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT that had not only benefited Ghana but other countries in West Africa, the TEAM-9 Initiative for which the Indian Government had allocated 500 million dollars to eight African countries including Ghana.

Mr Framji said under the leadership of President Kufuor, Ghana had been able to develop her private sector and human resources, improve her investment climate and had begun to reap the benefits of the solid macro-economic foundation that it laid. He said for the past three years bilateral trade between both

countries had diversified and increased by about 70 per cent per annum. In addition, India had offered concessional and subsidized financing through lines of credit of a total of 42 million dollars for projects under the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS). The citation read by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said: "You are being honoured in recognition of your determination, dedication and enormous contribution to strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Ghana and India.

"Through your untiring efforts, trade and investment relations between Ghana and India have grown tremendously and India is currently the second largest investor in Ghana." Nana Akufo-Addo said Mr Framji also promoted technical and economic cooperation between the two countries. He said Ghana's inclusion in the TEAM-9, which would enable Ghana to share in India's vast experience in the scientific, technological and service fields, was an example of his untiring efforts.

Mr Framji, 60, served as the Principal Financial Specialist of the World Bank for West Africa in the Industry and Energy from 1987 to 1993. He returned to the World Bank and became its Resident Representative in Ghana from July 1995 to December 1997. He was the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Resident Representative for Ghana and Nigeria from January 1998 to December 1998 and ended his World Bank career as a Principal Financial Sector Specialist in charge of Africa Region in Private Sector/Finance from January 1999 to July 2000. Mr Framji changed careers and became the Indian High Commissioner in Ghana and the four other African countries in June 2002.