The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Shlomit Sufa, has said Israel’s economic and trade mission’s operation in Ghana has led to a record $140 million worth of business deals and investment among their private sector companies.
She said such collaborations had opened new markets and opportunities for Israeli businesses and strengthened Israel’s ties with Ghana.
“This year marks the fifth year of the Economic and Trade Mission’s operation in Ghana and the only Israeli Trade Mission in West Africa. Within these five years, we have been able to hold over 100 events, which consist of business-to-business events, incoming delegations, exhibitions, as well as professional seminars,” Ms Sufa, who is also in charge of Liberia and Sierra Leone, said.
She said the mission had also assisted and worked with over 450 Israeli companies and 2,000 Ghanaian companies and agencies, as well as facilitated over 2,000 business-to-business meetings between companies of the two countries.
Ms Sufa disclosed these in Accra last Wednesday, at a ceremony to mark the 75th independence anniversary of the State of Israel.
Israel’s independence
The State of Israel was born 75-years ago on May 14, 1948, fulfilling a 2,000-year-old dream of the Jewish people to return to their ancestral homeland.
Since then, Israel has grown and flourished into a vibrant democracy, a hub of innovation and technology and a loving home to Jews from all over the world.
Israel is acknowledged as a leader in variety of industries including agritech, watertech, cybertech, fintech, med-tech and renewable energy.
The theme for the anniversary is, “75 years of creating a climate of innovation”.
Relations with Ghana
Ms Sufa said as Israel marked its historic milestone, it was important to reflect on its journey and relations with Ghana which could be traced to 1958 when Ghana became one of the first African countries to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.
She said since then, the two nations had enjoyed a warm and friendly relationship based on mutual respect, cooperation and spiritual connection between people of faith.
“Ghana, with its stable democracy, growing economy, friendly people and warm friendship with Israel, has emerged as a key partner for Israel in Africa. Israel and Ghana may seem like an unlikely pair, with vast geographical and cultural differences, but our shared values, interests and the friendship between our peoples have brought us together in many ways,” she said.
She indicated that most of Israel’s engagement with Ghana had been in the fields of agriculture, fintech, eduction, innovation, health, cybersecurity, renewable energy and women empowerment.
The ambassador also touched on key areas that Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation (MASHAV) had worked with the government of Ghana to achieve and these, she mentioned included, reducing neonatal and maternal mortality, water and sanitation, as well as childhood education.
AFCFTA location
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Akyeampong, responding to a toast from Ms Sufa said, the strategic location of the headquarters of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) secretariat in Ghana, offered many trade and investment opportunities.
He, therefore, urged Israeli investors to partner Ghanaian businesses and take advantage of the continent’s market of 1.3 billion people, as part of efforts to further expand bilateral trade.
“In addition, investors must consider investing in government’s flagship initiatives such as the planting for food and jobs, one district one factory among others, for the mutual benefit of our two countries in particular, creating employment for Ghana’s youth,” he said.
Tararam performance
Dignitaries to the programme, which included government officials, embassy staff, Israeli nationals in Ghana and members of the diplomatic corps, were entertained by an over an hour thrilling performance by the Tel Aviv based dance and drum sensation, Tararam.
Source: graphic.com.gh
