President John Dramani Mahama has expressed appreciation to Chinese President Xi Jinping for his continued leadership in advancing women’s empowerment and for hosting the Global Leaders Conference on Women in Beijing.

Speaking at the conference, President Mahama congratulated President Xi for championing gender equality and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to advancing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted three decades ago.

“I believe this meeting in Beijing will help accelerate the implementation of the Declaration and Platform for Action that was agreed 30 years ago,” President Mahama said.

He also highlighted the long-standing friendship between Ghana and China, tracing it back to the era of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and Chinese leaders Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai.

“Our relations have since been elevated to a strategic partnership, and we are happy to continue working with China for the progress not only of Ghana but of Africa,” he added.

President Mahama noted the growing trend of unilateralism in global affairs, stressing the importance of solidarity among nations that believe in multilateral cooperation.

He expressed gratitude to President Xi for sending Special Envoy Hao Mingjing to his inauguration earlier this year, describing the gesture as a sign of the strong bond between the two countries.

“I believe that during my tenure over the next four years, we will be able to move that relationship to a whole new level,” President Mahama said.