Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (left) in an interaction with her Emirati counterpart.
GHANA’S MINISTER for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI), Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has beckoned on investors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to tap into the many business opportunities presented by Ghana as host of the African Continental Free Trade Secretariat, assuring that Ghana is open for business.
In an engagement with the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE, H.E. Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Nahyan Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the ongoing World Expo in Dubai, Madam Ayorkor Botchwey urged her colleague to pay particular attention to Ghana as the country is increasingly becoming the hub for economic integration on the African continent.
Outlining the enormous opportunities presented by the African Free Trade pact, the Minister indicated that the world’s largest Free Trade will connect almost 1.3 billion people across Africa with a market value of about $3.4 trillion.
The Ghanaian Minister was part of a high ranking delegation from Ghana that participated in the business and economic deliberations between Ghana and the UAE at the ongoing World Expo 2020 in Dubai which led to the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on various commercial and trade partnership deals.
On his part, the Emirati Foreign Minister commended Ghana for the peace and stability enjoyed over the years and assured that his office would take all requisite steps in implementing the visa waiver agreement related to diplomatic and service passport holders.
The two sides also committed to engage their respective governments to ensure the ratification of the labour agreement as well as the investment protection agreement while also expressing keen interest in promoting trade and investments among their respective business operators.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey also commended the innovative start up programmes of the UAE and called on her counterpart to support youth start up initiatives in Ghana so to create employment for the country’s teeming unemployed youth.
The two Ministers also discussed cooperation in the fields of agriculture and renewable energy, an area the UAE is keen to invest in in Ghana.
Madam Ayorkor Botchwey went on to extend an invitation to the UAE to participate in the high level open debates Ghana would convene during her presidency at the United Nations (UN) Security Council in November.