President Mills, in the company of former President Kufuor as the latter exchanges pleasantries with Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo at the state luncheon at the Banquet Hall of the State House.
The two countries said although they had maximised the production of the commodity over the years, receipts from exports had been minimal as a result of the poor pricing of cocoa on the world market.
This was contained in a communiqué read by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, at the Castle, Osu, to climax the two-day visit of the Ivorien President, Laurent Gbagbo, to Ghana.
During the visit, the two leaders reviewed situations in their respective countries and deliberated on bilateral, regional and international issues which shaped the direction and focus of their countries.
The communiqué described as ironical the situation where the two countries produced more cocoa beans in the world, yet received little income from the produce to undertake more development projects to ensure the qualitative improvement in the living standards of their citizens.
It stressed the need for the two countries to combine their forces to derive the maximum from the production of cocoa and also defend their positions as leading producers of the commodity.
It said the manipulations of the commodity by cartels on the world market left so much to be desired, adding that the time had come for the two countries to collaborate their efforts to influence world prices for the benefit of their peoples.
The two countries, according to the communiqué, expressed grave concern over the smuggling of cocoa across their borders and resolved to team up to arrest the menace which was undermining the revamping of their economies.
“The two Presidents further reaffirmed their support for the decision of the International Cocoa and Coffee Organisation (ICCO) to transfer its headquarters to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire,” it said.
Commenting on the bilateral relations between the two nations, the communiqué said the two leaders agreed on the imperative need for the early reactivating of the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire Permanent Joint Commission for Co-operation.
That, it explained, would provide an effective framework for the conduct and monitoring of mutually beneficial co-operation between the two countries.
“The two leaders directed the ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries to take the necessary steps to convene the 9th Session of the Joint Commission in Accra, Ghana, within the second quarter of 2010,” it said.
The two leaders, the communiqué further said, also agreed on the need to reactivate the Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire Border Demarcation Commission to examine all aspects of the land and maritime boundaries.
It said the two leaders noted that the land border had been defined, while discussions had been initiated by the two countries to delineate the common maritime boundary.
It said the two leaders urged the relevant agencies of the two countries to continue with their deliberations for the early determination of the subject.
The communiqué said at the end of the two-day visit, President Gbagbo expressed his appreciation and gratitude to President Mills, the government and the people of Ghana for the warmth of courtesies and hospitality which were extended to him and his delegation.
