India-Ghana IT centre opened

Tuesday, 09 December 2003, 20:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee opened through video-conferencing the India-Ghana Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence for Communications and IT in Accra Tuesday, describing it as a symbol of strong and enduring bilateral partnership. "This institution is a symbol of the strong and enduring partnership between India and Ghana," said Vajpayee, whose visit to Ghana to participate in the centre's inauguration was cancelled due to the ongoing session of the Indian parliament. "It is a partnership forged during our struggle for independence, cemented during our joint campaign against colonialism and apartheid, and sustained by our shared aspirations for democracy and development," he said. Vajpayee said it was fitting that the centre should be opened through an inter-continental connection as it illustrated the power and versatility of information and communication technologies. "It is also apt that this Centre is named after UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who is a great son of Ghana and a distinguished citizen of Africa," he noted. Vajpayee referred to his meeting with Ghanaian President John Kufuor on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit in Abuja, Nigeria, last week when he explained the reasons for cancelling the visit to Accra. He praised the Ghanaian leader for the remarkable speed with which the IT centre, which was funded by New Delhi, had been completed. "Capacity building is an important catalyst of the development process. This institute will develop capacity in an area of technology, which is central to today's knowledge economy," Vajpayee said. The world market for IT products this year is estimated at $3 trillion, marking a growth of 20 percent over last year. "This market will grow exponentially in the years to come. India's IT exports crossed $10 billion this year and we hope to raise this figure to $50 billion by 2008," Vajpayee said. India's success could be repeated in Ghana as many factors contributing to it, including a high quality education system and an English-speaking workforce, existed in Ghana, he said.
Source: IANS