Spain marks National Day

Page 47
20-10-08

THE Spanish Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Julia Alicia Olmo Romero, has said the bilateral trade between Spain and Ghana is developing in a manner that will be of great benefit to the two countries.
She mentioned the successful execution of the second financial protocol that provided Ghana with 65 million euros of soft loans that were being used in the agriculture, fisheries, water, health and infrastructure sectors.
In addition, she cited the satisfactory negotiation of the debt swap agreement that implied a debt cancellation in favour of Ghana to the tune of almost 30 million euros.
Speaking at the celebration of the National Day of Spain, Madam Romero also mentioned the agreement for the promotion and protection of reciprocal investments.
The creation of a vocational and training centre that would contribute to job creation, building capacities, and the “gentleman’s agreement on migration”, she said, also formed part of cooperation between the two countries.
“Nevertheless, I am convinced that we still have a hard work to do to allow Ghana and Spain to deepen their mutual knowledge and expand their relations as a whole,” she stated.
Madam Romero commended Spanish non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and religious orders for their determination to improve the education and health situation of the less favoured people.
She said the day did not only mark the arrivals of the Spaniards in America but also the birth of Spain as a country that had contributed to forge a distinctive identity and given birth to a language and culture that reached nearly 500 million worldwide.
“Today Spain is a modern and dynamic country that during the last 30 years has been experiencing a significant political, economic and social development. After those years of fruitful evolution, we have achieved a collective aspiration of taking our place alongside the most developed countries in Europe without leaving our responsibility of being a bridge between continents, regions and cultures,” she said.