Mr Abdulaziz Alnasser, the Charge d`Affaires of the Saudi Embassy, presented the dates on behalf the King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia. “I am honoured to present fifty (50) tons of dates as gift from the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the government of the Friendly Republic of Ghana”.

He said as part of its long friendly relationship with Ghana, the Royal Kingdom wished to donate “the same quantity being presented for the past six consecutive years.” He said this was “based on the directives of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques and in conformity with the values of the royal Kingdom and its active role in humanitarian services”.

Mr Abdulaziz Alnasser was joined by colleagues from the king Salman Humanitarian and Relief Centre who arrived from the Royal Kingdom for the occasion to present the dates. This, he said, is a confirmation of “the deep, strong relations of cooperation and friendship existing between the two counties since the beginning of the sixties in the past century.”

Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Afairs and Regional Integration, indicated that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in March 1960, both countries had over the years sought the common desire to forge friendship and cooperation, based on mutual respect and support for development and aspirations.

She expressed appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this year’s donation of Two Thousand Five Hundred (2,500) cartons of date fruits. She said “the fruits would be distributed to appropriate beneficiaries across the country, as the Ramadan Fasting period approaches’’Mrs. Botchwey commended the Charge d’ Affaires Ad interim of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Abdulaziz Alnasser for his efforts towards getting the consignment to Accra.

She lauded the National Disaster Management Organisation for its readiness, over the past two years, to provide storage facilities for the dates.