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Skriven 2006-04-12 23:36:08 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0604121) for Wed, 2006 Apr 12
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President Bush Welcomes President Kufuor of Ghana to the White House
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 12, 2006

President Bush Welcomes President Kufuor of Ghana to the White House
The South Lawn

President's Remarks view

˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: Africa ˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: Global Diplomacy

11:57 A.M. EDT

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, welcome. It's good to have you back. We just
had a wonderful discussion about our bilateral relations, and a great
discussion about the world. I really enjoy talking to a man of vision and
strength and character. President Kufuor has done a fantastic job for
Ghana. He's told the people of his country he'd bring honesty to
government, and he has. He told the people of his country that he would
work to create a stable economic platform for -- and he has done that, as
well. And he's a man of peace. He cares deeply about peace in the region.

As a result of his leadership and our confidence in his government, we're
very happy to work with his country to promote what we've called the
Millennium Challenge Account. It's a statement of our respect, and it's a
statement for our appreciation for somebody who is willing to invest in his
people, is willing to fight corruption, who is willing to help a market
economy grow.

Mr. President, congratulations on your record of leadership. Thank you for
being a man of peace. Thank you for coming to Washington.

PRESIDENT KUFUOR: I want to thank the President for understanding Africa.
His works, for the past five years or so, have done so much in terms of
contributing to the fight against HIV/AIDS on two fronts -- the fund you
set up, $15 billion fund, some of which has helped to, in a way, save and
also make life easier over 400,000 afflicted people.

Then on the education front, I was honored with a visit from Mrs. Bush just
about two months ago, during which she launched a program towards linking
the messages of the United States and Africa, to work out curriculum for
primary and basic education, and also for supplying textbooks and education
materials for children, and also helping with education for girls.

And then there's AGOA, which Ghana is benefiting from, even though there we
need more help. (Laughter.) And then there's the TIFA, Trade and Investment
Framework law. I believe this is a President that is helping Africa help
itself. And we count on your support.

On the MCA front, everything going to plan, Ghana and the United States
will sign a compact by July. And that would enable Ghana pursue modernized
agriculture. We are largely an agricultural country, and these projects
that would free hundreds of millions of dollars to help modernize our
agriculture would affect as many as 3 million people, help reduce poverty,
and also push growth for the economy.

So we see the President as a friend of Ghana's, and I can say, of much of
Africa. Thank you.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, Mr. President. Let's go have lunch.

END 12:01 P.M. EDT

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