He said as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA)?Secretariat, Ghana had become an entry point to the vast African market.

Dr Bawumia, who was proposing a toast at a state dinner held in honour of the visiting Vice-President of Colombia, Francia Elena Marquez Mina, at the Jubilee House last Wednesday, therefore, invited Colombian businessmen and women to leverage the peaceful and stable political atmosphere in Ghana, as well as the prevailing investor-friendly climate to invest in the country for their mutual benefit.

“It is our hope and prayer that the coming years will see an exchange of high-profile visits between officials of our two countries which would culminate into a state visit by our two Presidents early next year.

“We are ready to build on the sound political relations that already exist between us to uncover new areas of cooperation that will ultimately inure to the benefit of our people,” he added.

Dr Bawumia further said that although Ghana’s relations with Colombia over the years had been restricted in scope “we hope your visit will invigorate the ties between our two countries”, adding that diplomatic relations between the two countries dated back to June 23, 1988.

Ms Mina was on a two-day visit to Ghana.

Among dignitaries at the banquet were the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare; a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, ministers of state, members of the diplomatic corps and some Ghana-based Colombians.

Slave trade

While sharing his thoughts on the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade and the atrocities meted out to the Black race, Dr Bawumia said “Colombia is home to roughly 14 million people whose ancestors were subjected to the shameful slave trade”.

For centuries, he said, the Black race was reduced to property and commodities in the new world of North and South America, as well as the Caribbean with unimaginable effect of massive loss of lives.

Dr Bawumia said that although the quest to seek restitution or reparation for current generation of Africans and people of African descent might not undo the crimes perpetrated by the oppressors in the past, it might go a long way to mitigate the inhumane acts which scars on Africa and the Black diaspora can never be erased.

“As we seek atonement for the acts of injustice meted out to our ancestors, we must nevertheless look ahead to a brighter and a better future for coming generations whose lives depend on the decisions that we take today,” he said.

The Vice-President said it was for this reason Ghana and Colombia needed to find common areas of collaboration, particularly in trade and investment to improve on the lives of their people.

Gratitude

Responding to the toast, Ms Mina expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded her.

She was happy about the lead role Ghana was playing in calls for reparation from the atrocities suffered by the black race some 400 years ago.

Ms Mina also lauded Ghana’s role in the fight against climate change and called for more collaboration in that sector as well.

She also expressed joy over the decision by Ghana to open an embassy in Bogota, Colombia, saying it would be the first embassy by any country from sub- Saharan Africa in Colombia.