15 June, Helsinki (Finland), GNA- Mr Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E Mr Pekka Haavisto, to establish political consultations at the end of the 2022 Nordic-African Foreign Ministers' Meeting (NAFM) in Helsinki, Finland.
Both nations emphasized the need to engage on a wide variety of topics during their meeting with Finland, including the circular economy, sustainable development, peace and security challenges, climate issues, education (especially TVET), and health.
The signing of a memorandum of understanding to assist each other in the areas of circular economy, clean technology, agriculture, ICT, manufacturing, energy, digitization, education, and health was the focus of the bilateral meeting between Ghana and Finland.
The signing of the MoU, which follows the passage of Finland's National Africa Strategy, was timely, according to the Deputy Minister, because it provided the framework for the two countries to engage in transparent dialogue and interaction and move relations forward in a spirit of friendship and cooperation.
Ghana had three bilateral talks with Finland, Norway, and Sweden on the sidelines of the Meeting to develop the friendly connections that exist between Ghana and the three countries.
Mr Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong (MP) headed Ghana's team to the Nordic-African Foreign Ministers' Meeting (NAFM) 2022, which took place in Helsinki, Finland from June 13 to 15, 2022.
H.E. Mrs Jennifer Lartey, Ghana's Ambassador to Finland, Mrs Matilda Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, Deputy Director at the Office of the Deputy Minister, Mr Charles Osei-Mensah, Minister Counsellor and Head of Chancery, Ghana's Embassy in Norway, Mr Charles Kwakye-Marfo and Counsellor for Political and Economic Affairs, Ghana's Embassy in Norway, Mr Charles Kwakye-Marfo
The Foreign Ministers' Meeting is an annual event that provides an open and informal forum for African and Nordic nations to discuss a range of foreign policy and global topics such as peace and security, investment and trade, and ways to maximize youth potential.
The 2022 NAFM was organized around three themes: peace and security, sustainable societies, and international cooperation.
Several contributions on peace and security in the West African sub-region, maritime security, and Ghana's position as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council were made by Ghana during the Forum.
Terrorist Armed Groups/Violent Extremist Organizations (TAGs/VEOs) have become more widespread, frequent, and deadly in Africa, according to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, with their underlying dynamics becoming increasingly complex and posing high risks to coastal countries such as Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin.
Mr Kwaku Ampratwum proposed strengthening Early Warning Systems (EWS) by creating a system that constantly collects, monitors, and analyses data that alerts decision-makers of the potential outbreak, escalation, and resurgence of violent conflicts to address this challenge and prevent situations of conflict.
He went on to say that identifying Early Warning Systems was insufficient to prevent confrontations.
He went on to say that it would only be beneficial if it was tightly linked to Early Response Mechanisms such as preventative diplomacy, mediation, and peace-making talks.
He stated once again that the disconnect between Early Warning and Early Response is what has frequently escalated crisis situations into violent clashes.