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Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur lauded the relationship that exists between Ghana and Australia and stated that Ghana cherishes the relationship that it has with Australia as a commonwealth country.

Vice president Kwesi Amissah said this when the outgoing Australian Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Mrs Joanna Adamson , called on him at the Flag Staff house in Accra on Thursday , to bid him farewell after her two-year official tour of Ghana.

He said on November 12, 2013, when he led a high powered government delegation to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. He met with their former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's who he interacted with and shared some ideas of mutual benefit for the two countries.

Mr Amissah Arthur said former Prime minister Tony Abbott's also took the opportunity to thank Ghana for supporting Australia to gain the non-permanent status at the UN.

Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur said the relations between Ghana and Australia had been historic and special. He said the two countries shared common values of democracy, freedom and justice and were members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

The Vice President said trade between Ghana and Australia should grow from strength to strength and stressed the need for Australia to increase trade and business relations with Ghana.

Mr. Kwesi Amissah Arthur said it was time Australia increased its local content in the areas that they mine .Especially playing a key role in the communities that they mine. He also touched on the local content in terms of people getting jobs in their catchment areas.
He also called for the need for them to give value addition for exports in the mining sector, instead of exporting them in their raw state.

Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur, further stated that he hoped that her successor would continue with negotiations, discussions and some new idea that would enhance productivity in the country
And advised that they also extended their relationship in the country beyond mining and also look at the agricultural sector as a strategic institution

Responding, H.E. Ms Joanna Adamson thanked Ghana for supporting Australia to gain the non-permanent status at the UN. She said there are currently an Australian scholarship programs where some Ghanaian students have benefited from and are currently pursuing various courses in Australia.

H.E. Ms Joanna Adamson further stated that recently there was an Australian fair in Ghana, where 17 Austrian institutions were represented .Where a lot of Ghanaians expressed interest to study in Australia to. She stated that the fair attracted about 2000 people who wanted to pursue their education in Australia; adding that the two countries have many years of mining experiences. So when you think about mining you have to think about Australia.