General News of Wednesday, 9 May 2012Source: GNA Dr. Benjamin Kumbour, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, on Wednesday said President John Evans Atta Mills was dedicated to ensuring peaceful, free, fair and credible election in December 2012.

He said Ghana’s commitment to democratic accountability, good governance and the rule of law was informed by the conviction that these principles guarantee peace, stability and social cohesion that consequently unleashed the potential of our peoples for socio-economic transformation and development.

Dr. Kumbour was speaking at a reception in Accra to commemorate “Europe Day,” as part of activities marking European Union (EU) Week Celebration in Ghana.

He said Ghana’s association with Europe was over six hundred years when the then Gold Coast came into contact with traders from various European countries, and since independence, Ghana has continued to have close and diverse relations and cooperation with the delegation of the European Commission, as well as other EU Member States present in Ghana.

Dr. Kumbour noted that, Ghana and the EU and its Member States share common values such as democracy, good governance and the respect for fundamental rights, freedom of the press and religion that are consistent with human dignity and development.

He said Ghana’s active participation in peacekeeping operations around the world, particularly in Africa, and the sub-region, was based on the belief that there could be no sustainable development without peace.

“President John Atta Mill continues to play active role in the peace process in Cote d’ Ivoire, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Sudan and Somalia, in order to pave way for peace, stability and development in these countries.”

Dr. Kumbour said, the EU apart from being Ghana’s major trading partner with 40 per cent of the country’s exports mainly cocoa, timber and minerals going to EU member countries, the EU remained Ghana’s major development partner.

He said: “Half of all official development assistance to Ghana is contributed by EU Member States and the European Union, through the European Development Fund. The European Commission has further contributed to the development of sectors such education, transport, infrastructure, agriculture and the judiciary.”

Dr. Kumbour said Ghana was grateful to the EU for the 52 million Euros additional money, to address the challenges of the Millenium Development Goal (MDG) five related to maternal health, though Ghana have made significant progress in the achievement of other MDGs, particularly, the goal of halving poverty by the year 2015.

He said in the spirit of the Cotonou agreement, Ghana would work closely with the EU, through dialogue and collaboration, in adopting common approaches to issues of peace and security, rights, migration, mobility and development and other global challenges such as climate change, the environment and energy resource.

Dr Kumbour congratulated Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and Jose Manuel Barroso, President of European Union Commission for their contributions to human development.

Europe Day, originally started on 9th May 1950, when the first layer of a supranational authority for Europe was announced which has become known as the Schuman declaration.**