Leaders of companies from Denmark and Sweden are in Ghana to explore business opportunities to foster economic growth.
The companies are from sectors including health technology, clean water technology, and sanitation and agro processing.
Mrs Sylvia Naa Adaawa Annoh, Ghana’s Ambassador to Denmark and Sweden, speaking at the opening ceremony of a business dialogue, said it was to create an environment for sound partnerships towards the growth and development of the three countries.
The event, organised by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), and facilitated by Ghana’s Embassy in Demark and Sweden, brought together local companies to meet with the business firms.
The initiative was in line with the Government’s call to pursue economic diplomacy as a key tenet in Ghana’s engagement with other countries.
Since then, the Government had rolled out policies, including the digitalisation and streamlining of business processes to ease market entry of companies.
Mrs Annoh said through strategies by key stakeholders such as the GIPC, Ghana remained a viable business and investment destination in Africa.
“The Danish Foreign Minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, announced that the focus of the Danish Government for 2023 was Africa. It was warmly received by the Embassy of Ghana in Copenhagen and gave impetus to our activities and strategies towards deepening economic bilateral relations with our host country,” she said.
Mrs Annoh reiterated Ghana’s crucial role as the host of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which presented opportunity for the Danish and Swedish businesses to leverage the competitive business climate, establish and serve the wider African market.
Mr Yofi Grant, the Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, said Ghana’s engagement with the Denmark and Swedish business community, over the years, had been dynamic.
He acknowledged that although the current economic landscape faced some challenges as countries emerged from the global political and health crisis, there were still many opportunities in Ghana, and Africa at large, that investors could leverage.
“Beyond all that is happening in the world, there is a tacit agreement that Africa has a significant role to play in reviving the global economy, considering its vast unexplored
resources and market. We believe that Ghana is an entry point to this real potential,” Mr Grant noted.
Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, the Minister of Information, said Ghana, through the GIPC, was ready to assist the business delegation to settle, operate and contribute to the country’s economic growth when all discussions were finalised.
“Our country is a gateway to Africa and can be a launchpad to reach many other countries,” he said.
Mr Amidu Issahaku Chinmia, the Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, expressed joy at the initiative, which would assist the country to bridge the huge deficit in access to potable water in rural areas.
Ghana, he said, was struggling with sanitation issues, lacking the required infrastructure to manage its waste.
“Despite the efforts, sanitation infrastructure stands at 30 per cent. The consequences of poor sanitation result to more health problems for which the country spends huge sums of money to address,” he said.
Source: GNA
