This is the full text of the joint statement issued at the end of the official visit of HM King Mohammed VI to the Republic of Ghana:

Full Text of Joint Statement Following HM the King's Official Visit to Ghana

19 February 2017

1- At the invitation of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, paid an official visit to the Republic of Ghana from 16th to 18th February 2017. 

2- His Majesty the King was accompanied by a high level delegation which included the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Energy, Trade and Industry, Agriculture, and a team of private sector operators and other senior government officials. 

3- The Moroccan delegation was accorded a warm welcome by the government and people of Ghana. 

4- During the official visit, the two leaders held fruitful talks with an atmosphere of conviviality, while the various minister from both sides held their bilateral discussions. Both parties underscored the need to enhance and diversify the bilateral cooperation in all areas, particularly the economic and trade sectors.

5- His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hailed the first meeting of the joint commission held in Rabat on February 11th and 12th of 2015, and agreed to upgrade these instruments of cooperation into a genuine partnership between the two countries.

6- His Majesty King Mohammed VI commended Ghana on its investment policy which turned the country into a major gateway for Foreign Direct Investment in the continent. Both heads of State underscored the necessity to develop a genuine economic partnership that combine public and private sectors initiatives.

7- President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hailed the contribution of Morocco to the development and stability of the West African region and called for consolidation of the relations between Morocco and the Economic Community of the West African States (ECOWAS). 

8- The two heads of State examined regional and international issues of common interest and commended the convergence of positions of the two countries on the international agenda. They identified numerous areas that would give additional impetus to the Ghana-Morocco cooperation, such as transport, tourism, energy, trade, fisheries and agriculture.

9- His Excellency the President commended His Majesty the King for the peaceful elections held in Morocco on 7th October 2016, which bore ample testimony to the success of the constitutional reforms introduced by His Majesty the King in 2011. His Excellency also congratulated His Majesty the King for winning the Nelson Mandela Prize of 2016 and for exemplary leadership which had gained recognition on the African continent.

10- His Majesty the King, on his part, also congratulated His Excellency the President for assuming the high office of the President of the Republic of Ghana and noted that His Excellency's resounding victory at the polls held on 7th December 2016 was an affirmation of the confidence reposed in him by the good people of Ghana as well as a testament to his resilience of character and unwavering commitment to public service. 

11- Both leaders acknowledged the longstanding cordial relations between Ghana and Morocco, dating back to the period of liberation struggle in Africa when the founding fathers of the two countries joined forces in the fight against colonial rule. 

12- The two leaders reaffirmed their strong commitment and reiterated their determination to further strengthen cooperation on a host of issues of mutual concern. They also agreed that the two countries would hold regular discussions at the senior officials level as well as support each other in elections at multilateral fora.

13- President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo congratulated His Majesty the King for the return of Morocco to its African institutional family and reiterated that Morocco's return would undoubtedly benefit the continent and bring more dynamism into the AU.

14- The two heads of State condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and reaffirmed the support for regional and international efforts to combat this scourge.    

15- The two leaders also expressed their satisfaction over the new impetus to the CEN-SAD and agreed to join efforts for the revitalization of this regional organization, allowing it to play its role in the fields of peace, security, stability and development of its member States, in particular in the Sahel region. 

16- President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed the interest of Ghana for the creation of the North-West African forum which aims at strengthening consultation between its member States over major issues of common interest in the political, economic, social areas with a view of implementing common global strategies to achieve human and sustainable development of the region. In this regard, the construction of the gas pipeline from Nigeria to Morocco will be beneficial to all the countries of the region it will pass through when completed. This, both leaders believe, is a symbol of South-South cooperation that African countries should promote in order to ensure Africa's model of development as His Majesty has consistently called for. 

17- During His official visit, His Majesty King Mohammed VI was conferred with the "Companion of the Order of the Star of Ghana (CSG)", which is the highest award for distinguished personalities and also presented with a colorful Kente cloth. On his part, His Majesty King Mohammed VI decorated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with the Grand Collar of Wissam Al-Mohammadi, which is the highest national award of Morocco. The king also presented President Akufo-Addo with several gifts.      

18- President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and His Majesty King Mohammed VI chaired the signing ceremony of memorandum of understanding and agreements covering various areas such as agriculture, industry, finance and avoidance of double taxation. Both heads of State called for ambitious Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the two countries that could serve as model of South-South cooperation in the continent.

19- At the end of the visit, His Majesty expressed His appreciation and gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to Him and His delegation by His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the government and people of Ghana.

20- His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, extended an invitation to H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, to pay a reciprocal visit to Morocco in the not too distant future, at a date to be agreed upon through the usual diplomatic channels. The invitation was accepted by His Excellency the President of Ghana. 

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