Dubai Times All About Dubai
Ghana is making concerted efforts to consolidate its growing bi-lateral trade ties with the United Arab Emirates in a bid to further diversify its economy and attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) into its various industrial and agricultural sectors.
Towards this end, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Embassy of Ghana in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) organised the Ghana Roundtable Meeting during the Gulf Food Exhibition in Dubai World Trade Center on 15th February.
“With an impressive GDP growth rate, Ghana is a nation on the move and offers excellent opportunities for trade and investments in a wide range of industrial, agricultural and manufacturing sectors,” said Yofi Grant, CEO of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC). “I invite entrepreneurs from the UAE to explore the abundant trade and investment opportunities in Ghana and further consolidate our bi-lateral trade ties with the UAE,” he said.
Held at the sidelines of the renowned Gulfood exhibition, the Ghana Roundtable Meeting highlighted several investment opportunities along the agricultural value chain. Notably, Ghana has emerged as the second largest producer of cocoa in the world – second only to Coté d’Ivoire. It is also the second-largest economy in West Africa.
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has predicted a sharp economic rebound after a pandemic-induced downturn thanks to new mining projects, increased manufacturing and expanded financial services.
Showcasing Ghana’s Potential
The Ghana Roundtable Meeting featured informative presentations from high-level dignitaries and provided a platform for Ghanaian companies to showcase the latest trends and innovations in the agriculture industry of the country.
The GIPC also announced the launch of the Ghana Investment Week initiative, which will include a series of networking events from February to March 2022, as part of the buildup to Ghana’s National day at Dubai Expo2020. This investment week initiative will bring Ghanaian companies along with other key industry players to Dubai-UAE, to network and explore areas for collaboration with companies from around the world.
“Ghana Investment Week Dubai provides a platform for like-minded entrepreneurs and business people to share valuable insights, have engaging discussions, and establish key connections. It will cover a wide variety of cutting-edge topics, keeping the pulse on today’s business world,” said Yofi Grant.
Speaking at the event, Ahmed Ramadan, ambassador of Ghana to the UAE said: “As bi-lateral trade ties between UAE and Ghana grow, more and opportunities of collaboration are opening up. I am optimistic that bi-lateral trade between the UAE and Ghana will reach unprecedented levels in the coming years as B2B interactions through events like the forthcoming Ghana Investment Week initiative provide the much impetus to our growing trade ties,” he said.
Ghana’s economy grew at an average of seven percent between 2017 and 2020 – making it one of the fastest growing economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana’s abundant raw materials (gold, cocoa, and oil/gas), relative security, and political stability, as well as its hosting of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat make it a preferred destination for investments in the sub-Saharan Africa region.
