Barbados and the Republic of Ghana on Wednesday signed an air services confidential memorandum of understanding (MOU) that has been described as “strengthening historical ties”.
The MOU between the two countries will promote bilateral aviation relations and expand economic opportunities for their designated airlines, and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. will be working to ensure it becomes a commercially viable venture.
Speaking before the virtual signing of the MOU with Ghana’s Minister of Transport and Aviation Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins said: “We are serious about building the strong relationship that already exists between our two countries, as seen between our two respective leaders.”
She added that the signing of the MOU is also part of the “process of working towards building stronger collaborative links between Barbados and Ghana, specifically in the areas of tourism cooperation, cultural travel, and heritage tourism”.
Minister Asiamah concurred, stating: “I think that it is well overdue that Ghana and Barbados should begin to strengthen the historical ties, and I think the relationship that was built by our president and your Prime Minister is something worth recognition….
“And I’m hoping that this relationship will not end at the signing of this MOU but rather guide all of us to make sure that we need to work together so that our nations can strengthen our relationship through trade, through whatever means possible, because history tells us that there’s no difference between the people of Barbados and people of this country.”
Barbados’ chargé d’affaires at the High Commission in Accra, Ghana, Juliette Babb-Riley, accepted the physically signed MOU from Minister Asiamah on behalf of the Government of Barbados.
Barbados established diplomatic relations with Ghana in 1994.
Recently, over US$20,000 worth of products from six manufacturers in Barbados were shipped to Ghana as the first step in cementing commercial ties with that West African nation and the wider African continent.
CMC/
