French Chamber Of Commerce And Industry Launched In Ghana


The inauguration ceremony of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCFG) in Ghana, jointly organized by the Board of Directors of the CCFG and H.E. Frédéric Clavier, Ambassador of France to Ghana, took place on Tuesday 27th May 2014 at the French Residence.

H.E Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Hon Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister of State PPP, Hon Mr. Isaac Adjei Mensah, the Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Ebo Barton Odro, first Deputy Speaker, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader, were among the distinguished guests. The ceremony was the opportunity to welcome the new members and to present the objectives of the CCFG, activities and services that the chamber is providing to Ghanaian and French companies.

The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ghana (CCFG), recently established in Accra, is an association of companies and professionals, belonging to different sectors, which aims at supporting, fostering and enhancing bilateral trade, financial and investment relations and exchanges between Ghana and France. In this business context where excellence and network across Ghana and the sub-region is crucial, H.E Frederic Clavier also recalled the importance of ‘building economic bridges between Ghana and its neighbouring francophone countries’.

The CCFG is providing a platform for exchange and business networking at the service of Ghanaian and French companies, and is supporting the growth of businesses by assisting and facilitating trade, investment, finance and industry activities between France and Ghana. In his speech, the Ambassador of France to Ghana, H.E Frederic Clavier stated that the aim of the Chamber of commerce is to ‘increase French investments in Ghana, and Ghanaian ones in France’ by encouraging Ghanaian and French companies to prospect and set up businesses in Ghana and/or France. Fostering, supporting and representing the members’ business interests by lobbying and advocating towards national authorities of both countries is also part of the CCFG’s goal.

The CCFG proposes to its members a wide range of interactive activities (i.e. networking opportunities, information, and publicity) and high-quality services (i.e. commercial advice and assistance and general business support). Patrick Prado, chairman of the CCFG, stated that ‘it is really necessary to propose a lot of services to our future members, leading global companies, mid-size companies as well as SME’s and entrepreneurs, in order to give them opportunity to create more and more businesses’. At the end of his speech, Patrick Prado urged companies to join the Chamber of Commerce in order to ‘add dynamism to the French Ghanaian community’.

Economic and commercial exchanges between France and Ghana have dramatically increased during the past 14 years. France is currently the fifth supplier and the tenth client of Ghana. Bilateral trade is estimated at 1,7 billion dollars. Moreover, in the last decade, an increasing number of French companies have successfully established their businesses in Ghana. Today 60 French companies are doing business in the country in many different sectors: oil equipment, petrol, agro-industries, transport, construction, ITEC, electrical equipment, cosmetics and banking and financial sectors.

The Ambassador of France to Ghana recalled that many factors have contributed to this situation, among them, ‘the confidence in the political course, the power of the democracy, the quality of its elites and the confidence in the economic future of the country, which is one of the engines of growth in Africa.’

Comments:
This article has 0 comment, leave your comment.