Over 500 investors to visit Ghana

Accra, April 11, GNA - Ghana is ready to host the rest of the world during the World Investment Forum meetings, Chief Executive of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Mr Robert Ahomka-Lindsay said on Friday. Briefing the media on the forum, Mr. Ahomka-Lindsay, said the conference would provide a unique platform for interaction and networking through a series of conferences and best practice forums between policy makers and businessmen.

Over 500 businessmen, policy makers and officials of investment agencies across the world are expected to attend the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) Conference and the World Investment Forum (WIF). The conference, which will take place in Accra between April 18 and 22, will be held to coincide with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) XII. The two events being organized jointly by the Ghana Government through the GIPC, WAIPA and UNCTAD will bring together the delegates to explore ways to accelerate Foreign Direct Investment inflows. About 192 Investment Promotion Agencies will attend.

Mr. Ahomka-Lindsay said the World Investment Forum will explore future developments in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows, new opportunities and challenges for investors, how global value chains and business linkages are evolving and how emerging economies can accelerate the development process through FDI among other things. He said it was expected that the WIF and the WAIPA conference would provide a platform for sharing practical experiences and insights into globalization, the opportunities and the channels in harnessing these opportunities. He said it was an opportunity for Ghana to showcase what it had to offer the World and urged all businessmen and women to take advantage of the presence of the many investors which will be in the country to do business.

To ensure that Ghana gained from the forum, Mr Ahomka-Lindsay said a Ghana-China trade forum would be held with visiting Chinese investors to enable the Association of Ghana Industries, the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ghana Free Zone Board to brief them on investment opportunities in the country. There will also be business match-making where Ghanaian entrepreneurs can interact with their foreign counterparts. He said as part of the arrangement a specific pavilion is being put up to house Ghanaian companies to enhance the promotion of partnership. "There will be a forum where Ghanaian businessmen and their foreign counterparts will meet and interact," he added.

The highlight of the forum is the annual WAIPA Awards and gala dinner at which three investment promotion agencies would receive awards for their dedication and creativity in identifying problems, raising awareness among stakeholders, formulating policy remedies and affecting change. According to him, the first Women in Business Awards would also be presented to women-owned businesses that have benefited from the business development services of EMPRETEC centres in their respective countries.