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TONY BLAIR MEETS AFRICAN UNION CHAIRMAN
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DURING his three-day official visit to the UK, The Chairman of the African Union John A. Kufour held closed-door meeting with the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair at the Number 10 Downing Street in London. Later, the two leaders met the media. We produce in full what transpired at the press conference. (As usual no mainstrem media, radio, TV or newspaper even mentioned or published this state visit)
Tony Blair:
Good Afternoon everyone. Can I extend a very warm welcome to the President of Ghana here today and to say how delighted we are to see you, Mr President, here in Downing Street again.
As you will know, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Ghana is a very strong relationship, but a very modern one now, and it is a partnership relationship.
We are announcing our intention to conclude a ten year development partnership between the UK and Ghana. This will give us the opportunity to improve both the quality and the support that we give to Ghana. There have been a lot of changes that have happened in Ghana over the past few years: a reduction in poverty; a big investment in education that has come about partly as a result of the debt relief initiative. And what Ghana has shown as a country, and if I may say so particularly under the leadership of President Kufuor, is a capability to make the best use of the external support linking up with the individual initiative of Ghanaian people.
And that has made a big difference. The economic growth, I think we were saying was around about 7%, which is a great achievement.
And in addition to all of that Ghana is obviously playing its full role in the affairs of Africa. Of course the President is also President of the African Union, and Ghanaian forces play a role in Sudan and indeed elsewhere, and also there is a very strong military partnership between our two countries as well.
So you know we have of course discussed the broader issues outside of the UK-Ghana relationship - Zimbabwe, Sudan and so on. We have gone through all of these issues.
But I would like to say, Mr President, how much we value the relationship that our two countries have today.
Thank you for all that you have done to give further impetus to that relationship, and to say to you that Britain will remain a strong partner for Ghana, both on its own account and within the European Union in the years to come. And I think the decision that we have taken to conclude this ten year development partnership is a sign that we are in this for the long term together.
And thank you very much for coming here today, and thank you for your leadership.
President Kufuor:
Thank you very much Mr Prime Minister. I am going to say that I am pleased to say that the invitation to me to do a State Visit from The Queen and her government has been very welcome to all of Ghana.
Considering that Britain is the biggest development partner of Ghana, and that our relationship has lasted from the point of independence, 50 years ago, but there was a relationship before 50 years ago, but that was different. 50 years ago Ghana gained its independence from Britain and since then there has been a very positive relationship between the two nations.
We also welcome very much this special partnership arrangement that the two nations will be launching from next year into the long term.
Ghana's ambition is to try and attain the middleincome status within the decade, the next decade, and for that we welcome all positive assistance and support, cooperation for Ghana in that drive.
When we talk of attaining middle-income status we want to add value to the raw materials that we have been exporting so far from Ghana, that is we want to industrialise. We want to diversify our economy generally, and more so agriculture. For instance about 60% of our population depend on agriculture.
And we want to attract joint ventures. We know that currently Europe and America are having to close down some industries, more because of the high cost of human resource. We say that Ghana, alongside some countries ... are ready to receive relocation of those industries, and this should come alongon the basis of joint ventures, and we expect our development partners to look at that aspect too, so that together we would continue with those industries to our mutual benefit and then into the global market.
On Africa, yes the Prime Minister and I have reviewed the situation extensively where we have trouble spots-Darfur, Somalia, Zimbabwe and elsewhere. And the African Union, of which I am the current Chair, is really concerned about any trouble spots anywhere on the continent, and I want to say our concern is that in the spirit of the African Union, and especially Nepad - the New Partnership for Africa's Development - we want the rule of law, more than any other way, to be the main agency of governance. Violence, beating up anybody and using brutal force shouldn't be the way forward.
The rule of law, accountable government, allowing constitutions to work properly, should be the way forward for all of us. This is our approach. Thank you
Tony Blair:
Thank you Mr President.
Question:
Prime Minister, the President has just given his views about the situation in Zimbabwe I think. Could we hear what you have to say at the apparent treatment of the opposition leader there?
Tony Blair:
Well I would like to say how sorry I feel for people in Zimbabwe, because as President Kufor has just said, you know people should be able to live under the rule of law, they should be able to express their political views without harassment, or intimidation, or violence. And what is happening in Zimbabwe is truly tragic.
And I have said to the President that we will work with the African Union in any way that we can in order to support and help a process of ensuring that proper order is restored in a lawful and constitutional way, where people are able to express their views and where proper democracy is introduced.
And I think that what I would say to people is that what is happening in Zimbabwe is a tragedy for the people in Zimbabwe. The person I am standing next to here is the President of a country that has shown how it is possible to make progress, to have democratic elections, to have governments change in a proper and constitutional way, to have the rule of law as the way that people live. And it can be done in Africa, and is being done in Africa. And that is why it is so sad, and so wrong, when people are prevented from getting access to those basic constitutional rights.
Prime Minister, as Ghanaian-UK relations strike chords of appreciation, there are lingering problems or concerns, especially to do with the visa acquisition by Ghanaians. What is your government doing to address this problem?
Tony Blair:
Well we are trying to make sure that our processes are OK for you and OK for us, and I know it is a difficult balance.
And incidentally I would like to pay tribute to the Ghanaian community in the United Kingdom, which is a significant number of people from Ghana who live here and contribute greatly to our country and our society.
The trouble is we get hammered if our visa system isn't robust, and then we get hammered when it is robust.
So we are trying to work our way round this and make sure that you know Ghanaians who want to come here for perfectly legitimate reasons aren't put to unnecessary trouble, whilst we have a situation which we can defend also in terms of its ability to withstand any people who may want to cause problems. So it is a very difficult balance, this, and we have had an informal word about it and I will try and do my best to sort out any of the problems which cause difficulties for the vast majority of well intentioned well-meaning people who come here from Ghana.
Question:
Thank you very much. Mr Blair, it is just a few days to the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Slavery Act in Britain. Will Britain go beyond just a statement of regret as we celebrate the 200th anniversary? What is so difficult about saying we are sorry?
Tony Blair:
Well actually I have said it, we are sorry, and I say it again now. I think for us the most important thing though is obviously to remember what happened in the past, and to condemn it and to say why it was so entirely unacceptable. But then also to say two other things.
One, that today, as our development partnership illustrates, we can have a different relationship of equals, of people trying to strive for more justice, for more democracy and liberty and progress in the world. And here is Britain and Ghana working together to that end. And secondly, we shouldn't forget that although that Act of Parliament was passed 200 years ago, there are still modern day examples of slavery and people trafficking that we need to act against.
And so I think that is in a way one of the best ways that we remember and pay tribute to those that suffered in the past, is to have a different relationship with Africa for the future, and to redouble our efforts to deal with the modern forms of slavery and people trafficking that beset our world today.
Question:
First of all, in Somalia, can the EU force on the ground operate effectively, given there is so much clear opposition to them? And similarly in Darfur, the AU force there, do they have sufficient resources, and if not, what does it need to make a difference on the ground? And if I may Prime Minister, more generally on Darfur, there have been a lot of strongly worded statements over the past three or four years, in practical terms what can the international community, and the Security Council in particular, do now to make that pressure on Khartoum bear more fruit on the ground?
President Kufuor:
Thank you. On Somalia, as I am sure you are aware, the African Union has decided to send a force of 8,000 troops to go and peace-keep there, they have to go and peace-keep, so the situation would be opened up for dialogue between the government and opposing factions. It is unfortunate that the first batch of troops to have gone there have been met with shootings there, as a result Uganda has lost some men, it is discouraging, and the African Union is rather disturbed.
Ghana is committed to also send in troops. Of course the leadership of Ghana feels very responsible, but Ghana is not going in there to meddle, that is not the purpose, Ghana decided to contribute, just to help a sister African nation trying to achieve normalcy through peace keeping. So I am hoping that the African Union will not give up in trying to assist Somalia to find a way, a peaceful way, to peace. That is what I want to say now. Of course consultations are going on among members of the Union, and between me as the Chair, and the Commission, which is the Secretariat of the Union.
On Darfur, Ghana alongside other African missions within the African Union, and under the auspices of the African Union, has sent a battalion, and the battalion has been there for two years and perhaps even more, but altogether the African Union has 7,000 troops, and Darfur is such a huge area that it definitely needs more soldiers or military to be able to keep the peace. And this is why the African Union decided again some time ago to encourage Sudan to agree to allow the Security Council to help augment the focus on the ground for peacekeeping by something like 17,000 troops. We will need that.
And of course we also believe that the Security Council will come in with the needed logistical support, and also financial resources. So far we haven't made the impact needed to enable the ... to come on the ground. Currently the African Union has sent in representatives to explore the chances of sending what is described as the Hybrid force, which really would be determined, with substantial input by the Sudanese government interms of the command, the make-up of the troops, which are expected to be likely African, and which would be supported by the Security Council, but we are yet to have a definitive response from Sudan. But we have not given up, we are there, and as I said Ghana is already there with a battalion, a full battalion that has been serving, in those very difficult circumstances.
Tony Blair:
I would just like to add on Sudan, and to pay tribute to the work the Ghanaian forces are doing there as part of the mission. I think what is important is that we put this back on the agenda of the international community, and the Security Council, and we redouble our efforts to make sure that Sudan comes into line with the agreements that have been made, and makes real efforts to change the situation in Sudan. And we are prepared as an international community, and I think this is the most crucial thing, that we have to show we are prepared to take tough action if the situation does not change. As I said a few weeks ago, what is happening in Darfur is unacceptable, it is scandalous indeed in terms of the suffering of the people there, and we cannot let this slip back down the international agenda. So we are looking at ways, and again in concert with the African Union, of putting this back on the international agenda and getting action taken. Thank You.
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