Akufo-Addo mourns former French Prez Jacques Chirac

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has paid tribute to former France President Jacques Chirac, who died on Thursday, September 26.

Jacques Chirac died aged 86 years after a long illness.

In a statement issued on Saturday, September 28, President Akufo-Addo expressed condolences to French President Emmanuel Macron and, by extension, to the people of France.

“Our sympathies go also to his wife, children and family,” the Ghana leader said.

He observed the astuteness of Jacques Chirac in international politics especially as regards his disposition as a friend of Africa and Ghana, in particular.

“Bilateral relations between Ghana and France were considerably strengthened during his tenure of office as President, and have remained strong ever since.

“Indeed, it was at the 11^th Francophonie Summit in Bucharest, Romania, in September 2006, presided over by President Chirac, to which I led the Ghana delegation as Foreign Minister, that Ghana became an Associate Member of La Francophonie, without first having to be made an Observer Member.

“Ghana, an anglophone nation, became one of a handful of countries that enjoy membership of both the Commonwealth and La Francophonie.”

Jacques Chirac will be buried at the Montparnasse Cemetery near his daughter, Laurence, who died in 2016.