German Chancellor Angela Merkel has extended an invitation to President John Dramani Mahama to undertake an official visit to Germany. 

The invitation came during bilateral discussions between the two leaders, on the margins of the EU-Africa Summit, which ends today, Thursday, 3rd April 2014.

President Mahama thanked the German Chancellor for the invitation and expressed much appreciation  for Germany’s invaluable contributions to Ghana’s development, through various forms of economic and technical assistance. 

Ms. Merkel described Ghana as a success story with an economy that is growing in a good way and offered her country’s support to help Ghana address short-term fiscal challenges successfully. She called for a more intense cooperation between Ghana and Germany, especially in the areas of business and market-driven initiatives.

President Mahama, in his capacity as the new Chair of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) commended the Government of Germany for its continued support and contribution to peacekeeping in Africa, including financial support for the construction and running of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, (KAIPTC).

The two leaders also exchanged views about negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement that is being worked out between the EU and ECOWAS, with President Mahama sharing details about the ECOWAS Technical Committee – comprising the ECOWAS Chief negotiators and representatives of Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, and Senegal – that has been set up to resolve any outstanding issues and concerns from some Member States over the next two months.  

Other issues discussed are the situation in Mali and the upcoming elections in Guinea-Bissau.