The fifth session of the Ghana and Switzerland Political Consultations has been held, a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, copied to the Ghana News Agency said on Thursday.

The Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr Albert Yankey, led Ghana's delegation to the virtual meeting while the Swiss side was led by Madam Siri Walt, the Head of Africa and the Francophonie Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Established 60 years ago, diplomatic relations between Ghana and Switzerland had over the years been very friendly and cordial and found expression in many joint programmes and projects of mutual benefit to the two countries.

The statement said within the framework of the successful relations, the two countries had also exchanged high-level visits, including the state visit of Switzerland (first accorded a sub-Saharan president) by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on 27th-28th February, this year and the visit to Ghana in 2017 by the then Swiss President Madam Doris Leuthard.

It noted that the fifth session of the Ghana-Switzerland Political Dialogue had participants from the foreign ministries of the two countries as well as relevant national stakeholders of Ghanaian Ministries, Departments and Agencies and representatives of concerned institutions in Switzerland to discuss mutual issues in the following areas: Ghana/Switzerland Cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement; Bilateral Economic relations, trade, and investment and the 2020-2024 phase of cooperation; Human Right (Business and Human rights); Peace security and Capacity planning and Management.

The statement said the discussions also touched on elections in the Sub-region, Ghana’s preparation for the December 2020 elections, as well as security in the Sub-region.

Also discussed were issues relating to ECOWAS, African Union (AU), and Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); the Candidatures of both countries to international organisations, and global matters, including strategies to manage the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The statement said after the discussions, the two countries expressed satisfaction with the increasing level of cooperation and jointly affirmed to strengthen the linkages in the different areas of the Ghana-Switzerland relations to enhance synergy, coordination and complementarity between Ghana and Switzerland.