President Gul speaks to Ghana's parliament

When Ghana declared independence in 1957, the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to do so, this made it a model for other African peoples, said President Abdullah Gul yesterday. He made the remarks in an address to Ghana's Parliament, on Turkey's first-ever presidential visit to the country. Saying that Turkey is determined to develop relations with Africa on the basis of friendship, equality and cooperation, Gul said for the past decade Ankara has had an outreach policy towards Africa, in the hope of diversifying and deepening political, military, economic and cultural cooperation. Gul said this policy includes health, agriculture, irrigation, energy, education and regular humanitarian aid. Before his address, Gul met with Turkish and Ghanaian businessmen over a breakfast.