The initiative is under the China Economic Information Service (CEIS) - Xinhua News Agency’s “Belt & Road Economic Information Partnership (BREIP)”. Mrs. Yaa Oforiwah Asare-Peasah, Acting General Manager of the GNA and the Accra Bureau Chief of Xinhua, Mr Song Shi, signed for their respective organisations, at a brief ceremony, at the GNA’s headquarters in Accra. 

Mr. Kwaku Osei-Bonsu, the Acting Supervising Chief Editor, and Mrs. Beatrice Asamani Savage, the News Editor of the GNA, witnessed for their side, while Mr. Justice Adoboe was on hand for Xinhua.

Mr Song explained that under the principles of equality, mutual respect, friendship and mutual assistance, among others, the GNA, CEIS, and other BREIP partners across the globe, would work together to develop and exchange pertinent information that would foster the prosperity and wellbeing of their peoples.

“CEIS and GNA will jointly carry out researches or consulting projects, based on mutual agendas, or CEIS will commission partners to carry out researches or consulting projects on its behalf,” the MoU said in part.

Mr Song said his side was ready to support the GNA in the training of journalists and other areas, to position it to deliver, because it was interested in forming solid partnerships with African News Agencies to serve the mutual interest of their peoples.

 Mrs Asare-Peasah welcomed the agreement, saying the GNA was seeking partners, who would resource it to deliver on its mandate to process and disseminate timely, credible and important to Ghana’s development and promote the African agenda.

“So, in addition to training our staff, to be abreast of modern journalism, we also need the technology and the logistics that today’s news agency needs to succeed,” she added. “The last time we received a vehicle from the Government for our operations was in 2007, so you can imagine what our journalists endure to get their stories.”

With other news agencies and partners in the CEIP and BREIP, the GNA would sign a detailed agreement in August in Beijing.