Story: I. Kofi Owusu TAWIAH
Ghana will participate in an international business and investment exposition in the capital of the United Arab Emirate, Dubai, from October this year to March 2022.
The six-month event dubbed: “EXPO 2020 Dubai” will showcase the business and investment opportunities in Ghana to the global business community, to attract Foreign Direct Investment into the country.
The EXPO was initially slated for last year but the Covid-19 pandemic led to its cancellation.
The event is expected to attract 122 countries worldwide and over 30 million audiences to the commercial city of Dubai, beginning next month.
The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), in collaboration with ministries of Trade and Industry, Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Information and many other sector agencies, is facilitating and coordinating Ghana delegation’s participation to the EXPO.
“Ghana: Limitless Opportunities” is the theme the nation has chosen for the EXPO and would enable ministers of state and government officials as well as private sector players to present and explain various business and investment opportunities available in Ghana to a global audience.
Addressing the media in Accra, on Monday, on preparations made towards Ghana’s participation in the EXPO, Mr Reginald Yofi Grant, the Chief Executive Officer of GIPC, said Ghana had earmarked specific activities to be undertaken by Ghana’s Team to the EXPO.
Some key thematic areas expected to be highlighted at the event include agriculture and agro processing, water and sanitation, culture and creative arts, food security, housing and construction, tourism and hospitality, lands and natural resources, environment and climate change issues.
The EXPO, Grant said, will officially open on September 30 and hold media engagement session with journalists and media practitioners worldwide in October to explain key thematic areas the nation would highlight at the EXPO.
He said, for instance, Ghana had chosen to highlight the opportunities in the country’s housing and construction industry in November and engage with strategic investors.
In December, the focus would be on Ghana’s education sector and textile and garments industry, with special exposition on Kente.
The month of January 2022 would highlight Ghana’s technological and digital economy and explore avenues for partnerships and the healthcare sector.
The last quarter of January next year would also throw more light on investment and trade opportunities in Ghana.
In February, the highlight would be on Ghana’s agriculture and agro processing opportunities.
On March 8th and 9th 2022, it has been declared “Ghana Day” or “National Day Engagement”, which would allow each participating country to mount a special parade on business and investment opportunities available in their respective countries to a global audience.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will lead a delegation from Ghana to the EXPO on March 8 and hold Presidential Roundtable discussions on “government to business engagement, and networking session with private sector players on investment opportunities in Ghana”.
The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, will be the first government official to take the centre stage at the EXPO next month to present opportunities in that sector.
