Hungarian Foreign Minister in Ghana: EU should cooperate with stable African countries

Accra, October 14 (MTI) – Climate change and poverty could bring tens of millions of people in Africa to set off for the European Union unless Europe takes proper action, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said after talks in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday.

The minister told MTI over the phone that the EU must work together with Africa’s stable economies in order to ease their migration pressure from the continent’s Sub-Saharan region. Szijjarto noted that there are currently at least 12.5 million internal refugees in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The minister held talks with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and his counterpart, Hanna Tetteh.

Szijjarto said Ghana is prepared to cooperate with the EU to reduce its migration pressure, adding that he and Foreign Minister Tetteh agreed that EU development funds for the region should be spent in a way that they help attain this goal. EU funds given to Ghana could contribute to the west African country’s development so that eventually it can offer better living standards to refugees from the Sub-Saharan region, Szijjarto said. Hungary will recommend that the European Commission should make it a requirement for African countries to spend a portion of EU funds on measures that can ease migration pressures.

Szijjarto said Ghana currently receives a small amount of EU support, with terms which he said Ghanaians are “extremely unsatisfied”. He voiced hope that the EC would soon amend its terms for development aid.

Szijjarto said the two countries had concluded on an economic cooperation agreement and agreed to set up a mixed committee. They also agreed on a diplomatic exchange programme and initialled a visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic or service passports.

Szijjarto said the two countries could best work together in IT, cybersecurity and energy modernisation.

On another subject, the minister said the Hungarian embassy in Accra remains on schedule to open next March.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters