African countries have been challenged to emulate the democratic dispensation in Ghana, which has raised the image of the African continent globally.
"It is sad that very often what you hear about Africa is bad news ranging from conflicts, to refugee difficulty, to dictatorship, but Ghana has broken the norm with a positive image for Africa through the peaceful transition in the country and [establishment of] democratic ways," Mr. Jean Pierre Bolduc, Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, said in an interview with The Accra Daily Mail.
He praised the current government for stabilizing the economy. "The economy was bad globally, not in Ghana alone but that this government has been able to do a lot to bring things under control is a positive image for the government."
He said opting for the HIPC initiative was in the best interest of the country even though people criticized it, adding that, the money accrued from this initiative would help the country's poverty reduction scheme. The High Commissioner said the enabling political climate and conducive government policies have the potential for attracting very good investors into the country.
He said Ghana's location is advantageous for investors to carry their goods to other countries in the sub-region like Togo, Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria etc.
He said he would participate in an outreach programme in Canada, where Canadian High Commissioners throughout the world will meet with business executives to give an overview of contacts for Canadian investors interested in investing in Africa.
He said he is going to try hard to convince Canadian investors of the resource available in Ghana and the enabling environment.
Mr. Bolduc said a seminar is being planned to assist exporters in the country to hook up with their counterparts in Canada at which vital information in Canada would be provided.
So far, Ghana accrues only 20 million Canadian dollars in trade, which he described as an unfortunate situation and said Canada is committed to increasing trade by reducing quotas on Ghanaian products so as to gain more access to their market.
On the issue of the New Partnerships for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Mr. Bolduc explained that since the initiative originates from Africa and is designed by democratically elected leaders, it is an indication that Africans are refining the concept of development in the own context.
NEPAD is a long-term work frame document that seeks to eradicate poverty and conflicts such as wars in the continent.
He said Canada has put aside 500 million Canadian dollars in its budgetary allocation toward the implementation of the projects and programmes of NEPAD.
In a related development, the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama attended an ECOWAS leaders meeting in Abuja, Nigeria on the implementation of the NEPAD on Friday.
The meeting, which was at the invitation of the Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, brought together heads of governments from Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Benin and Nigeria.
Briefing journalists on his return, Alhaji Mahama said the Canadian Prime Minister, who will chair the G8 Summit, brainstormed with the leaders on how best to advocate Africa's case at the June Summit in his country.
The meeting, he said, discussed peace and security, good governance, agriculture, access to foreign markets, foreign inflows into Africa and health issues.
The leaders stressed the need for a peaceful and stable environment on the continent in order to attract the needed investments.
The Commonwealth-Africa Investment Forum under the theme, "Advancing African development: New partnerships between business and government", will also take place in Abuja from 22-24 April, 2002.
It is the first major Pan-African event focussed on investment in Africa, which will highlight the NEPAD.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, President of Nigeria, who will host the Forum, organised by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) in collaboration with the Federal Republic of Nigeria said, "The Forum will provide an invaluable platform for frank and mutually beneficial discussion between African governments and the business community.
"In order to achieve African economic success, there must be a symbiotic process in which investors are willing to invest, while recipients are prepared to create the enabling environment for investment. Many African governments are taking steps in order to achieve the good governance necessary for sustainable levels of economic growth and development.
"I am gratified that the Commonwealth-Africa Investment Forum will be guided by the philosophical underpinnings of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), designed by African leaders as a framework for tackling many of Africa's pressing issues."
Heads of State and ministers from a number of African countries will participate, together with 400 international delegates from the public and private sectors. Plenary sessions will focus on areas such as: mobilising investments for long term development; mobilising domestic resources and foreign direct investment and creating a better environment for business and investment.
The sessions will focus on key themes and sectors in order to expand trade and investment and contribute to policy formulation on private sector issues.
The sessions will also be useful to stimulate the identification of investment proposals and to facilitate discussions between potential investors and partners with an overall view to increase the private sector's pivotal role in altering the business landscape of the African continent, promoting prosperity and stability.
The event is primarily targeted at bringing CEOs and senior management together with leading PAN-African governmental ministers and associated decision and policy makers.
African countries have been challenged to emulate the democratic dispensation in Ghana, which has raised the image of the African continent globally.
"It is sad that very often what you hear about Africa is bad news ranging from conflicts, to refugee difficulty, to dictatorship, but Ghana has broken the norm with a positive image for Africa through the peaceful transition in the country and [establishment of] democratic ways," Mr. Jean Pierre Bolduc, Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, said in an interview with The Accra Daily Mail.
He praised the current government for stabilizing the economy. "The economy was bad globally, not in Ghana alone but that this government has been able to do a lot to bring things under control is a positive image for the government."
He said opting for the HIPC initiative was in the best interest of the country even though people criticized it, adding that, the money accrued from this initiative would help the country's poverty reduction scheme. The High Commissioner said the enabling political climate and conducive government policies have the potential for attracting very good investors into the country.
He said Ghana's location is advantageous for investors to carry their goods to other countries in the sub-region like Togo, Benin, Burkina-Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria etc.
He said he would participate in an outreach programme in Canada, where Canadian High Commissioners throughout the world will meet with business executives to give an overview of contacts for Canadian investors interested in investing in Africa.
He said he is going to try hard to convince Canadian investors of the resource available in Ghana and the enabling environment.
Mr. Bolduc said a seminar is being planned to assist exporters in the country to hook up with their counterparts in Canada at which vital information in Canada would be provided.
So far, Ghana accrues only 20 million Canadian dollars in trade, which he described as an unfortunate situation and said Canada is committed to increasing trade by reducing quotas on Ghanaian products so as to gain more access to their market.
On the issue of the New Partnerships for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Mr. Bolduc explained that since the initiative originates from Africa and is designed by democratically elected leaders, it is an indication that Africans are refining the concept of development in the own context.
NEPAD is a long-term work frame document that seeks to eradicate poverty and conflicts such as wars in the continent.
He said Canada has put aside 500 million Canadian dollars in its budgetary allocation toward the implementation of the projects and programmes of NEPAD.
In a related development, the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama attended an ECOWAS leaders meeting in Abuja, Nigeria on the implementation of the NEPAD on Friday.
The meeting, which was at the invitation of the Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, brought together heads of governments from Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Benin and Nigeria.
Briefing journalists on his return, Alhaji Mahama said the Canadian Prime Minister, who will chair the G8 Summit, brainstormed with the leaders on how best to advocate Africa's case at the June Summit in his country.
The meeting, he said, discussed peace and security, good governance, agriculture, access to foreign markets, foreign inflows into Africa and health issues.
The leaders stressed the need for a peaceful and stable environment on the continent in order to attract the needed investments.
The Commonwealth-Africa Investment Forum under the theme, "Advancing African development: New partnerships between business and government", will also take place in Abuja from 22-24 April, 2002.
It is the first major Pan-African event focussed on investment in Africa, which will highlight the NEPAD.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, President of Nigeria, who will host the Forum, organised by the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) in collaboration with the Federal Republic of Nigeria said, "The Forum will provide an invaluable platform for frank and mutually beneficial discussion between African governments and the business community.
"In order to achieve African economic success, there must be a symbiotic process in which investors are willing to invest, while recipients are prepared to create the enabling environment for investment. Many African governments are taking steps in order to achieve the good governance necessary for sustainable levels of economic growth and development.
"I am gratified that the Commonwealth-Africa Investment Forum will be guided by the philosophical underpinnings of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), designed by African leaders as a framework for tackling many of Africa's pressing issues."
Heads of State and ministers from a number of African countries will participate, together with 400 international delegates from the public and private sectors. Plenary sessions will focus on areas such as: mobilising investments for long term development; mobilising domestic resources and foreign direct investment and creating a better environment for business and investment.
The sessions will focus on key themes and sectors in order to expand trade and investment and contribute to policy formulation on private sector issues.
The sessions will also be useful to stimulate the identification of investment proposals and to facilitate discussions between potential investors and partners with an overall view to increase the private sector's pivotal role in altering the business landscape of the African continent, promoting prosperity and stability.
The event is primarily targeted at bringing CEOs and senior management together with leading PAN-African governmental ministers and associated decision and policy makers.
