Iran ready to export technical, engineering services to Ghana

Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri in a meeting with Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, the Ghanaian Minister of State at the Presidency, voiced Tehran's readiness to export technical, engineering services to Ghana in a bid to help to the development of that country. "Iran is prepared to help Ghana's development by sharing its experiences in different industrial as well as technical and engineering services with that country," Jahangiri said during the meeting. He pointed to the Iran-Ghana Joint Economic Cooperation Commission meeting and the different agreements signed between the two countries, and expressed the hope that the bilateral agreements would soon and as a result of the two countries' follow-ups come into effect. The Ghanaian minister, for his part, called Iran-Ghana Joint Economic Cooperation Commission meeting as an epoch-making event, and voiced his gratitude for the conclusion of 10 contracts and agreements in that meeting. Pelpuo called for the expansion of cooperation between the two countries' private sectors as well as mutual cooperation in oil, gas, educational fields and agricultural products processing. "I hope that the Iran-Ghana Joint Economic Cooperation Commission meeting will open a new chapter in economic and trade relations between the two countries," the Ghanaian minister said. On Tuesday, Iran and Ghana signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on mutual cooperation in exploration and extraction of gold projects in the African country. The MoU was signed by the heads of the Iranian and Ghanaian chambers of commerce in a meeting in Tehran. The MoU paves the way for Iranian companies and contractors to invest in gold mine exploration and extraction projects in the African country. Head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce Gholam-Hossein Shafeyee said Iran and Ghana signed the MoU subsequent to their previous talks on development projects and export of technical and engineering services. Iranian and Ghanaian officials also inked several other MoUs to further develop ties and cooperation between the two countries in other fields of economy. Ghana is Africa’s second biggest producer of gold, and hosts more estimated reserves than such prolific gold producing nations as Peru and Papua New Guinea. Last year, production rose more than 12 percent, with output at the country’s two biggest mines increasing. The annual increase in rate of production for last year was second in the world only to Indonesia. Tehran has prioritized promotion of its economic and political ties with the African states and the country is now considered as one of the African Union's strategic partners. Tehran's efforts to boost ties and cooperation with Africa have led to its acceptance as an observing member of the African Union (AU), where it has shown an active presence in the AU summit meetings.