Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (M) with some dignitaries at the launch
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has said the government will continue to focus more on economic diplomacy to help strengthen ties with the international community in order to achieve sustainable growth.
Speaking at the launch of the 3rd Edition of the Made-in-Ghana Bazaar yesterday in Accra, she said such economic ties would create prosperity and improve the living standards of people in Ghana.
She said the Made-in-Ghana Bazaar, which is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, was launched in 2018 following the government’s decision to re-establish the Economic, Trade and Investment Bureau of the Ministry in 2017.
She said “the bazaar would also use the network of Ghana’s Diplomatic Missions abroad and Diplomatic Missions accredited to the Republic of Ghana to facilitate the penetration of Ghanaian products and services into foreign markets,” she added.
She indicated that the bazaar would also create the needed platform to build strong relationships between Ghana’s local industries and the well-established markets of Ghana’s foreign partners abroad.
Themed, “Promoting Made-in-Ghana Goods and Services for Economic Prosperity” the bazaar slated for May 23 to May 25, 2024, will come off at the Accra International Conference Centre.
She said the bazaar recorded not less than 200 exhibitors and 2,500 visitors last year and expects that, this year’s bazaar will attract over 5,000 patrons.
Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Dr. John-Hawkins Asiedu, for his part said the bazaar would serve as a platform for entrepreneurs and artisans to showcase their talents and promote their businesses.
He said at a time when the world is facing unprecedented challenges, the event will also serve as a reminder of the resilience and creativity that exist in Ghana.
Other side events will discuss topics such as “The Changing Nature of Diplomacy; 21st Century Economic Diplomacy-A Private Sector Perspective; Equipping the SMEs to take advantage of the AfCFTA; Projecting Ghana’s Creative Arts Industry for Sustainable Development, as well as a theatre play by Latif Abubakar titled, “The Second Coming of Nkrumah.”
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah