Brussels, 01/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - John Dramani Mahama, the new president of Ghana, and Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, met in Ghana on 1 August, just a few days after the sudden death of the outgoing president, Atta Mills. Talks at their meeting centred on bilateral EU-Ghana relations (Ghana is an ACP country and a champion of democracy), on the next elections, and on regional cooperation in West Africa with a view to ending the crisis in Mali. The meeting gave the opportunity for Van Rompuy to reiterate his most sincere condolences to the people of Ghana and Mills' family.
“Although the country is saddened by the passing of one of its great sons and statesmen, its mature reaction to this loss and the quick implementation of constitutional provisions designed to ensure the continuity of a democratic government shows once again how far this country has moved forward”, Van Rompuy said. He stressed the importance of the coming elections being held in the tradition of free and democratic voting - of which Ghana has been able to boast for the last 20 years. Van Rompuy congratulated Ghana “for its open and wide public debate on the constitutional review process” and he encouraged further progress in terms of governance, reforms and decentralisation. (AN/transl.fl)