Veep leads delegation to attend UK-Ghana Business Council meeting in London

Vice-President Dr. Mahumudu Bawumia is leading a high-level delegation to the United Kingdom to take part in the UK-Ghana Business Council meeting, where they will be looking at courting more opportunities for government’s ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda.

The Ghanaian delegation will be met by a group of UK Cabinet Ministers, junior Ministers, Parliamentarians and UK Private Sector partners – all united with the common purpose of shaping a UK offer that will accelerate tPresident Akufo-Addo’s vision of a ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’.

The Ghanaian delegation includes the Ministers of Finance, Trade, Planning, Tourism and Rail; and the Deputy Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Attorney-General.

The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, and Vice-President Bawumia will co-chair the second UK-Ghana Business Council meeting at Lancaster House on 26 February 2019.

A press release issued to announce the meeting said this new partnership is the primary driver for UK-Ghana relations that brings with it a whole-of-government approach, on both sides, to sharpen our focus on mutual priorities around trade and investment, economic development, job creation and the business environment.

A series of meetings will run for three days and prioritise specific sectors of economic development where the UK and Ghana can focus efforts: agri-processing; extractives; financial services; and garments/textiles.

It is also expected to enable both sides to overcome existing constraints and transform the business environment so that it will boost bilateral trade and investment.

“There will be opportunities to discuss and agree to trade and investment deals, worth in excess of £1 billion,” said a statement issued by the British High Commission in Accra.

In the margins of the meeting, there is a packed programme of bilateral activity that demonstrates the breadth of the UK-Ghana relationship. Vice-President Bawumia and the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, will meet with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, and visit leadership of the London Stock Exchange.

The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Ghana, Adam Afriyie, will also host a reception and dinner for the delegation that includes UK parliamentarians, businesses and members of the Diaspora in the Houses of Parliament.

Bawumia will be speaking at the Chatham House to outline his economic vision for Ghana as an attractive destination for investment under the theme ‘Ghana’s inclusive economic future: approaches to achieving transformative growth’.

Speaking ahead of the Council meeting, the British High Commissioner to Ghana Iain Walker said:

“The UK-Ghana Business Council meeting is the forum to drive forward the new strategic partnership between the UK and Ghana. We share a common purpose: President Akufo-Addo’s vision for ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ aligns with the UK Government’s new strategic approach to Africa.

“The UK-GBC is the platform for translating our common purpose into practical action. Through intense engagement on both sides, we are sharpening focus on a few key priority areas – bringing an integrated whole-of-government approach – that will spur long-term for economic growth, create jobs and encourage greater trade and investment between our two countries.”