Roundup: Iran, Ghana in drive to boost all-round ties

As Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama's two-day visit to Iran ended Monday, Iran and Ghana vowed to boost their ties in diverse areas.

Mahama, heading a high-ranking political-economic delegation, arrived in Tehran Saturday at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart.

It is quite possible for Tehran and Accra to establish top-notch relations in industrial, agricultural, mineral, and commercial fields, Mahama said Monday.

Ghana is an oil products importer and Iran can construct oil refineries in Ghana, Mahama said at the Iran-Ghana Economic and Trade Cooperation meeting, according to Iran's Petro Energy Information Network (SHANA).

"Iran and Ghana can cooperate in constructing bridges and railways, as well as the wagon building industry," he said.

During a joint news conference with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani Sunday, Mahama expressed his pleasure to be the first African leader visiting Iran following the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, saying that "the nuclear deal signed in July 2015 provides Iran with an opportunity to play a constructive role in developing peace in the Middle East and the world."

According to Press TV, Mahama said there are many areas for cooperation between both countries in various fields, including oil and gas, agriculture, power generation, cement production, home appliances and engineering products.

"We believe Iran dominates in those fields and can become a suitable partner for Ghana," he was quoted as saying.

Mahama thanked Iran for its "very high quality of health services offered at reasonable prices to Ghanian citizens."

He also thanked Rouhani for "Iran's educational support" and the fellowships granted to Ghanian youths to study medicine and engineering in Iran.

Mahama said Iran's establishment of an Islamic Azad University in Ghana allowed Ghanian youths from all religious denominations, Muslims, Christians or Buddhists, to continue their graduate studies.

"I would also like to thank Iran for its agricultural services offered to poor and remote Ghanian areas which increased production and food security in those areas," he said.

He also mentioned the presence of terrorist groups in some parts of Africa, calling for joint effort between states in fighting extremism and terrorism.

"Only through cooperation can we defeat terrorism," he was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

Additionally, Rouhani said Iran attaches great importance to its relations with Africa, particularly with Ghana.

"During our meeting Sunday, we reviewed significant aspects of our bilateral ties," said Rouhani.

Considerable potential exists in the fields of oil, gas, petrochemicals, technical, engineering services, and agricultural areas for both countries to cooperate on, Rouhani was quoted as saying by IRNA.

Furthermore, the mining sector, cement production, as well as home appliance manufacturing are further potential areas where both sides can expand their relations, he said.

During the meeting, both presidents discussed regional and international political issues, particularly terrorism, which has struck parts of Africa, said Rouhani.

He highlighted Mahama's visit to Iran, as the first by an African leader to Tehran in the post-sanction era, expressing hope that the visit will further develop Iranian-Ghanian relations.

In addition, Iran and Ghana signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) Sunday to cooperate in the fields of agriculture and quality assurance.

Rouhani and Mahama presided over the MoU signings by agricultural ministers from both countries, along with the participation of the head of Iran's National Standards Organization and his Ghanian counterpart.

Mahama described the agreements as "the beginning of a new era" in boosting ties between both countries.

Visiting Ghanian Minister of Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said Sunday that his country needs Iran's oil and gas industries' support to become an African power hub.

Buah said following a meeting with Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zangeneh in Tehran, that both Tehran and Accra may cooperate in upstream and downstream industries related to energy and power generation.

Zangeneh also said that Tehran intends to improve ties with Ghana, and is ready to export crude oil as well as petroleum products to Ghana.

It was also announced Monday that Mahama and his Iranian counterpart have agreed to collaborate in fighting extremism and terrorism.

Both leaders reached the agreement after discussing the matter behind closed doors as part of Mahama's official two-day visit to Iran.

As members of the Non-Aligned Movement, Ghana and Iran have a longstanding relationship.

During a visit to Ghana by former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2014, both countries established the Permanent Joint Commission. Endit