Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Substantive Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and the Minister of Trade and Industry has urged the Private sector in Ghana and in Africa to have the AfCFTA Agenda; to boost Intra-African trade and African prosperity in the context of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and continue to work with the Government to achieve full implementation.
The private sector, he said, will not only be the driving force behind the AfCFTA, but will also be the main beneficiary of the single market when Africa achieves the desired level of trade between Africans as people, adding to the progress of intra-continental trade. means that private businesses can expand their markets, and venture into new areas that were previously inaccessible.
The Caretaker Minister, Samuel A. Jinapor spoke at the closing of the two-day Business and Policy Dialogue, launching the Kwahu Summit on Africa’s Prosperity, organized by The African Prosperity Network (APN) in collaboration with the Presidency and Secretariat of AfCFTA on Friday, January 27, 2023.
When targeting the private sector, he noted that “we must drill more to address the needs of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in our country, as they contribute more than half of the continent’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Indeed, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) account for about ninety percent (90%) of all businesses in Africa, and provide about eighty percent (80%) of jobs. across the continent”.
Closing on the theme “ACFTA: From Ambition to Action, Delivering Prosperity Through Continental Trade”, Hon. Jinapor stated that the Quality of presentations, constructive exchanges, and active participation over the past two days, is a clear proof of the collective desire. move from ambition to action, and deliver prosperity through the AfCFTA for the “Africa We Want.”
He added that the discussions over the last two days have shown that through public-private and multi-sectoral engagement, Africa can unblock the bottlenecks that hinder the realization of the single market agenda.
Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor therefore called on Ministers, policy makers, government representatives, and regional economic community representatives to work with the private sector to create the necessary institutional and logistical frameworks for the private sector to develop.
He enlightened the participants that Ghana’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, as the lead policy advisor of the Government in matters of domestic and international trade and industry, puts a lot of premium on the AfCFTA, which is the fulcrum around which most of our trade policies revolve.
In view of the importance of Ghana’s place in the AfCFTA, the Caretaker Minister disclosed some initiatives the Ministry has implemented in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat saying;
” Since the establishment of the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra, the Ministry has cooperated with the Secretariat, and has carried out several initiatives to promote the AfCFTA, including the establishment of the National AfCFTA Coordination Office, the development and full implementation of the National Policy and Action Plan for the AfCFTA, and the implementation of the AfCFTA Facilitation Program aimed at promoting local companies to produce and export to the AfCFTA market”.
On behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Government of Ghana, the Caretaker Minister, Hon. Jinapor appreciates the efforts of the African Prosperity Network (APN), led by the Executive Director, Dr. Eugene Owusu, and all other partners, especially the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), led by the distinguished Secretary General, HE Wamkele Mene, to facilitate the holding of high-level business and private dialogue on the very consequential issue of the AfCFTA.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogue, the first in Ghana, is uniquely designed to offer a strategic and credible annual platform for driving intra-African trade. It is a platform where Africa’s top political and business decision-makers discuss and create clear and actionable initiatives to promote trade and prosperity in Africa, in line with the AU’s Agenda 2063.
The two-day event brought together Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Representatives of Regional Economic Communities, Business Executives and Associations, Technocrats, Women, Young Entrepreneurs, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the media, to dialogue and provide actionable solutions to boost. Intra-African trade and African prosperity in the context of the African Union Agenda 2063.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not reflect Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no legal or other responsibility for the accuracy of the content. Please report inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a priority. |
Featured Videos