China to build new foreign ministry for Ghana

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BEIJING, Nov 5 (Reuters) - The Chinese government has pledged to build an office complex for Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after a fire gutted the former ministry, the Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.

It did not say whether China would donate the cost of the building in the West African country, where Chinese oil firm Sinopec (SNP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has offered to make a joint bid with the national oil company for a stake in the offshore Jubilee oil field, which Exxon Mobil (XOM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has contracted to buy [ID:nLR389652].

China's embassy in Accra donated $40,000 in office computers to the Ghanian foreign ministry, which is now housed in a conference centre, on Wednesday.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, called the donation a sign of "friendship and solidarity" and announced China's construction pledge during the donation ceremony, Xinhua said.

China's Premier Wen Jiabao is travelling to Egypt this weekend, where he will meet with African leaders and discuss investment and aid.

(Reporting by Lucy Hornby; Editing by Ken Wills and Jeremy Laurence)