By Stanley Senya
Accra, Feb. 11, GNA – Ms Samantha Cohen CVO OBE, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), has visited Ghana as part of a high-level Commonwealth engagement mission to promote trade, investment and strategic partnerships across Africa.
Ms Cohen, a former Private Secretary to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and former Director of the Office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at 10 Downing Street, participated in a series of engagements aimed at deepening economic collaboration between Ghana and the wider Commonwealth.
During the visit, she delivered a keynote address at the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) held at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The event brought together senior government officials, private sector leaders and international partners to advance Africa’s economic integration and prosperity agenda.
She shared the platform with the Vice President of Ghana, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agymang.
In her capacity as CEO of CWEIC, Ms Cohen co-chaired a meeting of the Ghana International Advisory Council with Dr John Apea, Commonwealth Envoy and Head of Mission.
The meeting assembled senior Commonwealth officials and strategic partners to discuss investment opportunities and private sector collaboration.
Participants included Ms Shanthi Annan, a member of the CWEIC Advisory Board, Mr Ben Cobblah, CWEIC Country Director for Ghana, and representatives of strategic partner organisations such as KGL Group, Virtual Infosec Africa, Zenith Bank and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), among others.
At the Africa Prosperity Dialogues, Ms Cohen also co-chaired a high-level roundtable discussion on collaboration between the Commonwealth and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), alongside Ms Annan.
The session examined the role of the Commonwealth in supporting AfCFTA implementation and promoting intra-African trade and investment through coordinated public and private sector action.
The roundtable attracted senior business executives and members of the diplomatic community.
As part of the mission, Ms Cohen and members of the Commonwealth delegation held strategic meetings with leading figures in Ghana’s business community.
The delegation included Dr Bimal Kantaria, Chairman and CEO of the Elgon Group; Mr Kayode Adeleke, CEO of the RusselSmith Group; and Mr Dulaj Vimukthi Manoarachchige, CEO of ESNA Group.
They engaged with Dr Said Deraz, Chairman of Gold Coast Refinery; Mr Alex Mould, CEO of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA); Ms Joana Gyan Cudjoe, Chairperson of Golden Empire Legacy Limited; Dr Benjamin Dzoboku, Managing Director of Republic Bank Ghana; and Dr Kamal-Deen Ali, CEO of the Ghana Maritime Authority.
Speaking during the visit, Ms Cohen said the private sector had a critical role to play in mobilising capital, expertise and innovation to support Africa’s growth ambitions.
“Through the Commonwealth, we are uniquely positioned to unlock this potential by connecting investors, businesses and governments in practical, outcome-driven partnerships,” she said.
She highlighted the economic benefits of the “Commonwealth Advantage,” noting that it was estimated to be up to 21 per cent cheaper for Commonwealth countries to trade with one another.
According to her, the initiative provided a platform to accelerate the implementation of AfCFTA, deepen intra-African trade and deliver sustainable economic growth for Ghana and the wider continent.
Dr Apea underscored the role of the Commonwealth West Africa Export and Investment Centre in promoting economic growth in the region.
He said CWEIC played a convening role by bringing together public and private sector actors to align government priorities with private sector capital and expertise.
By doing so, he noted, the Council helped transform policy objectives into bankable projects and investment opportunities that drive trade, industrialisation and long-term development in Ghana and across the Commonwealth.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba
