Ghana and the Republic of Turkey have reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation following high-level meetings between officials of the two countries in Ankara.
The Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, disclosed this in a statement shared on Facebook after leading a Ghanaian delegation on an official visit to Turkey.
He said, the delegation was hosted at the Presidential Palace by the Chief Advisor to the President of Turkey, Oktay Saral, in what he described as a cordial meeting that reflected the strong relations between Ghana and Turkey.
The Deputy Minister observed that Ghana’s Ambassador to Turkey, Nasiru-Deen, was present during the engagements and commended his role in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Deputy Defence Minister also held bilateral discussions with Turkey’s Minister of National Defence, Yasar Guler, during which both sides explored ways of enhancing defence collaboration.
According to Mr. Genfi, the discussions highlighted Turkey’s commitment to expanding its partnership with African countries, particularly Ghana.
He said both countries agreed on the need to expedite action on outstanding Memoranda of Understanding on defence cooperation to ensure that agreed areas of collaboration are translated into practical outcomes.
He further expressed Ghana’s appreciation to the Turkish government for its hospitality during previous visits by the Ghana National College of Defence Studies and Ghana’s Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak.
Also present at the meeting was the Director of Plans, Research and Development of the Ghana Armed Forces, Joseph Vander-Pallen.
The visit forms part of ongoing diplomatic and defence engagements aimed at deepening strategic cooperation between Ghana and Turkey.
By Benjamin Aidoo
